INSIGHTS
Pre Match
1
This is the fifth time West Ham have trailed by 2+ goals going into the second leg of a two-legged knockout tie in all European competitions; they managed to progress from the first two (v ADO Den Haag in the 1975-76 Cup Winners’ Cup & Real Madrid Castilla in the 1980-81 Cup Winners’ Cup) but were eliminated from the most recent two (v Dinamo Tbilisi in the 1980-81 Cup Winners’ Cup and v FCSB in the 1999-00 UEFA Cup).
2
Bayer Leverkusen have progressed from all 13 previous occasions they have won the first leg of a two-legged European knockout tie by 2+ goals (incl. qualifiers).
3
West Ham have won three of their last four home games against German opposition (L1), already beating SC Freiburg twice in the UEFA Europa League this season (2-0 group stage, 5-0 round of 16).
4
Bayer Leverkusen have only won one of their 10 away games against English sides in all competitions (D2 L7), though this win did come in their last visit to the capital against Tottenham in November 2016 (1-0).
5
West Ham have won each of their last 11 home games in European competitions (incl. qualifiers), seven of which were by a margin of 2+ goals, which they require to avoid elimination in this tie against Bayer Leverkusen.