West Ham United will host Liverpool at the London Stadium on Sunday, looking to build on their recent form and add to the reigning champions’ misery.
West Ham United are coming into this game vs Liverpool on the back of two victories and a draw from their last three matches. The East London outfit will be reasonably confident after a disastrous start to the season. It will be interesting to see if they can grind out a positive result here.
A win over Liverpool could give West Ham United a huge confidence boost and help them in their fight for survival. Nuno Espirito Santi’s men are just above the relegation zone, and they cannot afford to drop points.
On the other hand, Liverpool are in terrible form with four defeats from their last six matches in all competitions. They are completely lacking in form and confidence. This could be a potential banana skin fixture for the Reds, and they will need to work hard in order to get something out of this contest. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
West Ham United
George Earthy is recovering from a hamstring injury, and he will miss out. Additionally, Lukasz Fabianski remains in the treatment room due to a lower back issue. However, Lucas Paqueta will return after serving a suspension last weekend. Meanwhile, Konstantinos Mavropanos (thigh) and Crysencio Summerville (knock) face late fitness tests to determine their availability.
West Ham United will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Liverpool, with Alphonse Areola in goal. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf will start as the full-backs. They will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Max Kilman will form the central defensive partnership alongside Jean-Clair Todibo.
As for the midfield unit, Tomas Soucek will start alongside Soungoutou Magassa in the double pivot. They will look to add defensive cover and physicality to the midfield. Mateus Fernandes will start as the attacking midfielder here, and he will look to create goalscoring chances for his teammates.
Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville will add creativity, flair, and goals from the flanks. Finally, Lucas Paqueta will spearhead the West Ham United attack vs Liverpool at the London Stadium on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Diouf; Soucek, Magassa; Bowen, Fernandes, Summerville; Paqueta
Liverpool
Arne Slot will be without Giovanni Leoni (knee), Conor Bradley (muscular), and Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring). Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz will be assessed closer to kick-off. Additionally, Alisson Becker has been recovering from a hamstring injury, and Slot is sweating over his fitness.
Liverpool are likely to shape up in a 4-3-3 formation vs West Ham United, with Alisson Becker in goal. Joe Gomez and Andrew Robertson will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate will pair up with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Dominik Szoboszlai will start in the middle of the park. They will look to control the game from the deep and add defensive cover.
Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo will start on the flanks here. They will look to add goals and creativity from the wide areas. Finally, Alexander Isak will lead the line for Liverpool vs West Ham United on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Isak, Gakpo
Key Stats
- Liverpool have won eight of their last nine matches against West Ham United in all competitions.
- Liverpool have been losing at both half-time and full-time in six of their last seven matches in the Premier League.
- 28 goals have been scored in the last six meetings between the two teams.
- West Ham United have scored eight goals in the last three outings.
- Liverpool have conceded 20 goals in their 12 league games this season. It is the joint-earliest into a Premier League campaign they have conceded 20+ goals, along with 1992-93 (also 20 after 12).
Player to Watch
Jarrod Bowen
The West Ham United attacker is our key player to watch out for. Liverpool have been quite vulnerable defensively, and he has the qualities to expose them. The Englishman will look to create opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net as well.
Bowen could make a big difference for his team in the final third, and they will need the 28-year-old English international to step up and produce a strong performance if they want to get something out of this contest.
Prediction
West Ham United 2-1 Liverpool
Liverpool are struggling right now, and they are showing no signs of progress in recent weeks. The reigning Premier League champions are likely to have a difficult outing here, and they might come up short once again. On the other hand, West Ham are fighting for survival, and they will have gained confidence from the recent performances.
The East Londoners look quite impressive under Nuno Espirito Santo, who has instilled some much-needed fight and belief into the team. They are likely to be charged up at home, and a narrow victory could be on the cards. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Nuno Espirito Santo and his charges.
