Liverpool vs West Ham United
Date: 24/02/18
K/O: 15:00pm
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool host West Ham this Saturday as they look to try and overtake Manchester United and move into second place in the Premier League.
Liverpool will be buoyant after their 5-0 victory over Porto in the Champions League last Tuesday, whilst West Ham on the other hand have had an extended break due to the FA Cup last weekend – the break coming just as West Ham returned to winning ways against Watford in their 2-0 victory at the London Stadium.
Team News
Jurgen Klopp will still be without right back Nathaniel Clyne who continues to recover from a back injury. Given the rest the team has had having played on last Tuesday Klopp will be expected to name a unchanged line-up from the one that demolished Porto, especially keeping his devastating attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, who haven’t shown any signs of missing Phillipe Coutinho since his move to Barcelona in January.
David Moyes however still has a long injury list, with stars such as Andy Carroll, Pedro Obiang likely to be out for the season. Also Winston Reid will miss out as he continues to recover from a throat infection. Moyes will also be without left back Arthur Masuaku as he continues to serve his suspension for spitting in the FA Cup. Although more positively Moyes will be able to recall star player Manuel Lanzini to the squad as he has recovered from injury, which has kept him out for the last month.
Embed from Getty ImagesPredicted starting XI’s:
Liverpool: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Milner, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane and Firmino.
Formation: 4-3-3
West Ham: Adrian, Zabaleta, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Antonio, Kouyate, Noble, Mario, Arnautovic, and Hernandez.
Formation: 5-3-2
Prediction: Liverpool 4 West Ham 2
Liverpool will be clear favourites in this game given their home record against West Ham. Their last two games against the Hammers they have put 8 goals past them and only conceded 1 in return. However considering both defences can be exposed a surprise score line might not be too unreasonable to think about. Overall, this game will have goals and plenty of them. But I have to give Liverpool the edge against West Ham.
Written by Henry Tomlinson.
