Liverpool vs West Ham Analysis, Preview, Possible Line-ups

From fighting and vying for the 31st Premier League crown to competing for a top-four spot which would guarantee a berth in next season’s edition of the UEFA Champions League to aiming for at least top six or seven which would translate into an appearance in either the UEFA Europa League or Conference League as the case may be. There are also teams who are struggling to avoid being swept away by the relegation flood, to have least have another go at English Premier League football in the 2023/24 season.

The past weekend was eventful, action-packed and filled with a lot of drama. We saw Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal drop points for yet the third consecutive game in another unfortunate draw to bottom placed Southampton. We also saw Newcastle thrash fellow top-four contenders Tottenham 6-1 as the club moved closer to achieving their first Champions League qualification in 20 years. We saw Liverpool defeat Nottingham Forest 3-2. It was also a little less noisy as we didn’t get to see Erling Haaland and Manchester City go on another carnaged rampage, Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United, Frank Lampard and a presently distraught Chelsea side.

West Ham vs Liverpool :

Liverpool take the trip to London Stadium as the Reds continue to surge at the 6th-9th region of the Premier League table. Klopp"s men have found a rise in form in the past weeks. Coming off three consecutive disappointing league losses(a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth, a defeat to Real Madrid by the same scoreline and a 4-1 thrashing endured at the hands of Manchester City), Liverpool have been able to get back to their feet registering two draws and two wins in their past six fixtures, including running out winners in a 6-1 alluring display against Leeds United.

Liverpool would be looking to at least make the Europa League with the Champions League out of their reach except for a terrible, unforgivable slip-up by Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United. With 50 points in 31 games, the 2020 EPL Champions have a chance to draw level with Tottenham if they post a victory over the Hammers later tonight courtesy of the fact that The Lilywhites have played one more game than Jurgen Klopp"s men. Such kind of redemption would be the ultimate icing on the cake and a huge revamping of their 2022/23 season story, one which began with so much disaster.

West Ham are yet another quotidian team of the Premier League this season with nothing to fight for. Sitting relaxedly in fourteenth position, the Hammers have their season clearly spelt out already but may prove to be killjoys and thorns in the flesh of their opponents when they host Liverpool at the London Stadium.

West Ham vs Liverpool last time:
West Ham

The Hammers were all over their opponents last time out in the league, Bournemouth recording a 4-0 win in a purely energetic display. A header from Michail Antonio in the opening minutes of the game set the score up at 1-0, before Lucas Paqueta doubled the lead few minutes later. Declan Rice scored the third of the evening and Pablo Fornals" second-half scorpion kick delivered the final and fatal blow to the hosts.

Liverpool

Coming back from Elland Road where they overpowered Leeds 6-1, Liverpool found yet another win at The Kop, though with more resilience from their opponents this time. Nottingham Forest drew level twice after Liverpool had gone ahead twice through Diogo Jota, first from a header and secondly from a beautifully controlled and well fired left-footed volley. It was none other than Mohamed Salah who found the decisive winner and ultimately the three points for Klopp"s side in the 70th minute.

West Ham vs Liverpool last encounter:

It was Liverpool who came out on top in the first-legged meeting between both sides at Anfield in October courtesy of an impressive header from Darwin Nunez. The Hammers did have the chance to equalize from the spot after Joe Gomez had conceded a penalty but Jarrod Bowen was ultimately denied by Alison"s save. The Uruguayan Nunez was on fire for The Reds getting a couple of chances including lashing a terrorising strike against the Westham woodwork. In the end, Liverpool ran out 1-0 as winners.

West Ham vs Liverpool Head-to-Head:

The Anfield-based club and the Londoners have plenty of history between each other. Both sides have squared off 123 times in history. Liverpool are the comparatively better side with 68 wins compared to Westham"s 28. Both sides have had to settle for 30 draws in the past.

West Ham vs Liverpool key stats:

• Westham have only won one out of their last six home games against Liverpool. The rest have resulted in four losses and a draw(1-3, 0-2, 1-1, 1-4, 0-4)

• On numerical terms, The Reds hold ana advantage. Westham have not beaten Liverpool by more than two goals since 2015.
• Liverpool on the other hand, have scored four goals against the Londoners four times during this period, four of which were consecutive games against The Hammers(4-0, 4-1, 4-1, 4-0)
• Both sides are unbeaten in at least four games; Liverpool in their last four and Westham in their last five.
• Westham have recorded a single loss in their last ten fixtures and have lost just once on home ground this year.

Westham vs Liverpool injuries:

Naby Keita (Liverpool; muscle injury), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool; muscle injury), Calvin Ramsay(Liverpool; Knee injury), Stefan Bajcetic( Liverpool, Groin injury)

West Ham vs Liverpool key players:

Jarrod Bowen(Westham, 5 goals, 7.9xG), Said Benhrama( Westham, 5 goals, 6.6xG)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, 18 goals, 16.3xG), Darwin Nunez(Liverpool, 9 goals, 11.4xG)

West Ham vs Liverpool possible line-ups:

West Ham: Fabianski, Cresswell, Aguerd, Coufal, Paqueta, Rice, Sousek, Benrahma, Bowen, Antonio

Liverpool: Alison, Robertson, Van Djik, Konate, Alexander-Arnold, Jones, Fabinho, Henderson, Jota, Salah, Gakpo

Main image credit Embed from Getty Images