Liverpool will be looking to cement their place in the top four as they welcome a struggling West Ham side at Anfield on Saturday at 15:00BST.
After routing FC Porto in the first leg of the pre-quarterfinals of this season’s Champions League, Liverpool would be looking to extend their superb recent record in the Premier League with a win against West Ham on Saturday, indeed Jurgen Klopp’s side will be odds on to grab three points with all of their famed front free in devastating form.
With a West Ham side which has won only one of their last five games in all competitions coming to Anfield, the odds would be heavily stacked in favor of the home side, indeed their are some interesting sign up bonuses if you fancy a flutter, to claim all three points from this fixture.
Team News
In a massive boost for the home side, right back Nathaniel Clyne is back after missing out the first six months of this season due to a back injury. The English right-back was part of the 25-man Liverpool squad that traveled to Portugal but watched the entire game from the bench.
Adam Lallana, who was part of the Liverpool bench in each of their last two games, has recovered from minor muscle complaint and is expected to start this game from the bench.
As for West Ham, the Hammers will be without Arthur Masuaku who remains suspended after accumulating a six-game ban for spitting. Andy Carroll would also watch the game from the sidelines as the striker is still recovering from his foot injury whereas Edimilson Fernandes, who has an ankle injury, also remains out.
Potential Liverpool Starting Lineup
In their 5-0 thrashing of the Portuguese Champions in the Champions League, Jurgen Klopp fielded both Jordan Henderson and James Milner in the center of the park.
However, with the focus back on the Premier League, the Liverpool manager might replace James Milner with Emre Can for this fixture. Other than that, Jordan Henderson is also expected to make way for Oxalade Chamberlain on Saturday.
Potential Liverpool lineup: Karius – Arnold – Lovren – Van Dijk – Robertson – Chamberlain – Can – Wijnaldum – Salah – Firmino – Mane
Potential West Ham Starting Lineup
Currently sitting just four points off the relegation zone, West Ham would be coming into this game with cautious optimism. In their last match in the Premier League, the Hammers were able to defeat Watford 2-0 at the London Stadium.
Still, with high flying Liverpool their hosts for this fixture, anything other than a defeat would be a bonus for the Hammers.
Potential West Ham Starting Lineup: Adrian – Cresswell – Ogbonna – Collins – Zabaleta – Kouyate – Noble – Antonio – Mario – Chicharito – Arnautovic
Player to Watch
Ask any Premier League fan, and he’d tell you that it is the Egyptian Mohamed Salah who deserves our attention. Having already scored 30goals in all competitions this season, the former Chelsea winger has been a constant nuisance for opposition defenders over the past six months.
And it isn’t that West Ham aren’t aware of the destruction Salah might cause in the opposition box. For, the last time they faced Liverpool, Salah scored two goals as Liverpool came back from London with a comfortable 4-1 win in their bag.
In addition to Salah’s form, it is the defensive fragilities of West Ham which might cause consternation for David Moyes.
Having shipped in 46 goals already this season, West Ham have the fourth worst defensive record in the Premier League this season.
Thus, when you look at Salah’s form and add it to the defensive weaknesses of the West Ham side, the Egyptian would be poised to further cement his credentials for the Golden Boot race with yet another match-winning performance against the Hammers.