THE DETAILS
Venue – Anfield, Liverpool
Referee – Jonathan Moss
Date & Time – Monday, February 24th @ 20:00
Current Odds – Liverpool 1/6, Draw 7/1, West Ham 14/1
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David Moyes returns to Merseyside for what should be a torrid night for the former Everton manager. His West Ham United team is smack-bang in the middle of a relegation battle and the last place they will want to have to go is the home of the runaway league leaders.
FORM
Liverpool Form
Liverpool have won 17 consecutive Premier League matches since drawing 1-1 at Old Trafford back in October. They have won 25 of their 26 league games this season. Doing so, Jurgen Klopp’s mighty Redmen have opened up a 22-point lead ahead of a Manchester City side we all believed to be pretty much unbeatable before the season started.
You’ll never see the likes of this again. League title number 19 is just around the corner. Prepare for that feeling of euphoria when the job is finally done. Monday night, The Reds should take another huge step towards the club’s first domestic league success for 30 years. Don’t miss it.
West Ham United Form
West Ham haven’t won a league game since they beat Bournemouth 4-0Â on New Year’s Day. They currently sit 18th in the league, level on points with Watford and one point behind 17th-placed Aston Villa.
The Irons have lost five and drawn two of their last seven games in all competitions.
The reappointment of David Moyes raised many eyebrows in the football world and it has looked far from an inspired decision thanks to The Hammers’ performances since.
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool Team News
Jordan Henderson and Xherdan Shaqiri are both likely to miss Monday night’s game. Shaqiri is still recovering from a calf injury while Henderson picked up a hamstring injury in the defeat at Atletico Madrid last Tuesday night. The captain will face a late fitness test but I don’t see Klopp risking Henderson for this game.
Nathaniel Clyne is still on the road to recovery but could get some game time under his belt before the end of the season.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will most likely take Henderson’s place in midfield alongside Fabinho and Gini Wijnaldum.
Alisson will play in goals with the usual full-strength back four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson in front of him.
Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané should lead the line in attack.
West Ham United Team News
David Moyes will be without Ryan Fredericks, Andriy Yarmolenko and Jack Wilshere for the trip to Merseyside.
Moyes will likely go with a 3-5-2 shape at Anfield, quickly reverting to a 5-3-2 when out of possession.
Liverpool will need to be wary of the threat Michail Antonio can pose on the break for West Ham. In midfield, Declan Rice will be up against it as he tries to keep the shackles on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s runs from deep.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Liverpool XI (4-3-3) РAlisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Man̩
West Ham United XI (3-5-2) – Fabianski; Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Zabaleta, Rice, Noble, Soucek, Masuaku; Antonio, Haller
WHEN THEY LAST MET
Liverpool won 2-0 when the sides met at London Stadium less than a month ago. A first-half penalty from Mohamed Salah gave Jurgen Klopp’s men the lead. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sealed the deal with a great counter-attack goal in the second half to double Liverpool’s advantage.
The Reds won 4-0 in this fixture at Anfield last season. It was the opening day fo the 2018/19 campaign and goals from Salah, Sadio Mané (x2) and Daniel Sturridge gave Liverpool a comfortable victory.
PREDICTION
LIVERPOOL 2 – 0 WEST HAM UNITED
Liverpool’s defeat at Atletico Madrid may have knocked some of the wind out of The Reds’ sails last Tuesday. However, Jurgen Klopp will be adamant that his team gets right back in the saddle and takes all three points on Monday night. Make no mistake – the quest for a first league title in 30 years remains the club’s number one priority. Win against West Ham and we’re another giant step towards that elusive trophy.
