Liverpool will hope to keep pace with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League when they welcome West Ham United to Anfield on Saturday.
The games continue to come thick and fast across Europe, and in the Premier League, Gameweek 28 of the 2021/22 season gets underway on Saturday. Liverpool will play hosts to West Ham United in the final game on the day, with the teams facing off at Anfield.
Liverpool could have a truly memorable 2021/22 campaign, as they have already won the Carabao Cup and remain alive in every other competition. The Reds have been in a stunning run of form over the past six weeks, having won each of their last 11 games across all competitions. Such a streak has helped Jurgen Klopp’s men close in on Manchester City, who are six points ahead, having played a game more.
On the other hand, West Ham United once again look primed to clinch European qualification and perhaps even go a step further than last season. The Hammers are in contention to finish in the top four, with fourth-placed Manchester United two points ahead of them. But their form has been hit and miss lately, with David Moyes’ men winning just three of their last eight games while being booted out of the FA Cup earlier this week.
The reverse fixture was a riveting affair, with West Ham United eking out a 3-2 win over Liverpool, with Kurt Zouma scoring the match-winning goal. Ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter.
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
Looking ahead to #LIVWHU ?
We’re LIVE with Jürgen Klopp ahead of Saturday’s match against West Ham!
https://t.co/lM1TytjXns— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 4, 2022
Jurgen Klopp has a new roster issue hampering his preparations ahead of the visit of West Ham United. On Saturday, the Liverpool manager will be bereft of the services of as many as three first-team players.
The bad news is that Joel Matip will likely miss out due to an illness, giving Ibrahima Konate an extended run at the heart of the Liverpool defence. The youngster will start alongside Virgil van Dijk in the backline, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson being the two full-backs.
As for the other absentees, Roberto Firmino remains on the sidelines as he continues his battle to return from a hamstring injury. And Thiago Alcantara also remains unavailable due to a thigh injury he sustained while warming up for the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea last weekend.
But there is some good news, too, as Curtis Jones (thigh) and Naby Keita (knock) have shrugged off their minor issues to be available to take on West Ham. But neither midfielder will make the starting eleven, with Harvey Elliott likely to get the nod in the middle of the park along with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
Finally, in the final third, Klopp has a selection dilemma with most of his resources at his disposal. But after giving Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz a breather earlier this week for the FA Cup fifth-round clash against Norwich City, the trio should feature ahead of Diogo Jota.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Elliott; Salah, Mane, Diaz
West Ham United
Like his counterpart in the Liverpool dugout, David Moyes has been sweating over the fitness of some key players ahead of the trip to Anfield. The West Ham United manager could be without five first-team players on Saturday.
The major absentee for West Ham is Vladimir Coufal, who is on the recovery trail after undergoing a hernia operation. Ryan Fredericks (groin), Angelo Ogbonna (knee) and Arthur Masuaku (knee) are also unavailable for the visitors, while Andriy Yarmolenko is on compassionate leave due to the events in Ukraine.
"Like everybody, we've got a few injuries and a few players out, but we've also got some coming back as well hopefully."
? The boss provided a fitness update on a number of players ahead of #LIVWHU…
— West Ham United (@WestHam) March 4, 2022
But there is some good news, as Aaron Cresswell and Mark Noble have shrugged off minor issues to become available to take on Liverpool. At the same time, Tomas Soucek will likely be fit after overcoming a head injury he sustained in the FA Cup clash against Southampton.
Soucek should thus line up alongside Declan Rice in the double-pivot in the centre of the park, with the duo looking to keep things tight in midfield. They will also aim to push West Ham forward during transitional phases, with Rice’s driving runs being a particular highlight.
In the absence of Fredericks and Coufal, Ben Johnson is an automatic pick at right-back, while Aaron Cresswell picks himself on the opposite flank. Kurt Zouma and Craig Dawson will pair up at the heart of the West Ham defence, which will provide cover to Lukasz Fabianski.
At the opposite end, Michail Antonio will spearhead the West Ham attack, and the Jamaican international will look to build on his goalscoring display in the midweek cup fixture. Manuel Lanzini and Pablo Fornals will supplement Antonio, while Jarrod Bowen will be keen on continuing his solid run of form.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Johnson, Zouma, Dawson, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek; Bowen, Lanzini, Fornals; Antonio
Key Stats
- West Ham United have lost a club record 69 league matches versus Liverpool. The Hammers have won one of their last 51 fixtures at Anfield in all competitions, a 3-0 Premier League victory in August 2015.
- Liverpool are two short of becoming the second club to score 100 Premier League goals against West Ham, emulating Manchester United.
- West Ham have only managed one point and one goal in their five away league games this season against teams in the top half of the table.
- Liverpool have earned six successive Premier League victories by an aggregate score of 18-2. The Reds are unbeaten in 17 league games at home, winning the last eight by an aggregate score of 26-2. However, the Merseyside giants have triumphed in only one of their five league matches this season against teams in the top five of the table, a 5-0 victory at Manchester United in October.
- Mohamed Salah has nine goals in nine Premier League appearances versus West Ham, scoring in all four games at Anfield.
Player to Watch
Sadio Mane
Amid rising uncertainties surrounding the contract situations of several Liverpool players, Sadio Mane finds himself in the most awkward position. Renewing terms with Mohamed Salah is understandably the highest priority for Liverpool, while Roberto Firmino is also reportedly in line for an extension.
Mane thus has everything on the line every time he steps on the pitch to represent Liverpool. So despite winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, Mane will have to be at his best to show that he still has a lot to offer amid Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz’s rising statures. A big performance against West Ham United is necessary for Mane.
Prediction
Liverpool 3-1 West Ham United
Saturday’s game is a must-win encounter for Liverpool, as, after Manchester City’s defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last month, the Reds have their fate in their own hands again. But David Moyes’ men can become a resolute and stubborn bunch when they put their heads to it.
That said, Liverpool’s attacking unit has become relentless lately and will blow West Ham away in the first half before consolidating their position after the interval. But West Ham will go down fighting, with the visitors likely to get on target once. That will not be enough to take anything from the game, with The Hard Tackle predicting Liverpool to beat the Hammers 3-1 on Saturday.