Liverpool vs West Ham United: Predicted Lineup, Team News and Injury Latest
As Liverpool prepare to host West Ham United at Anfield, the conversation centres on selection, rhythm and whether Arne Slot resists the urge to tinker. The champions elect from last season have built their campaign on control and clean sheets, yet the absence of a key creative spark has complicated matters ahead of this Premier League clash.
Kick off is at 3pm GMT on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Anfield, with no live TV coverage in the UK.
Attacking midfield dilemma for Liverpool
Slot faces a familiar managerial puzzle, balancing continuity with invention. The headline absentee is Florian Wirtz, ruled out at short notice.
“I don’t expect Florian to be available, that is a disappointment of course,” Slot told reporters.
“Every time a player is not available it is a disappointment and also something I did not expect after last week but that is sometimes how things evolve and unfortunately this time it is not in a positive way.”
Wirtz’s absence removes guile between the lines, the ability to receive on the half turn and slide passes through compact defences. Against a disciplined West Ham United side, that nuance can matter. The temptation may be to reshuffle, but Slot has often preferred cohesion over impulse.
Curtis Jones is therefore poised to continue in the advanced midfield role. His industry and positional awareness were useful in the 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, even if the performance lacked sparkle. Liverpool have kept three successive clean sheets, a statistic Slot will value more than aesthetic perfection.
Defensive stability shapes Predicted lineup
There is little appetite to disturb a back line that has rediscovered its authority. Alisson remains the undisputed No 1, protected by a central pairing of Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk that has blended recovery pace with leadership.
Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to continue at right back in an inverted role, stepping into midfield during possession phases, with Milos Kerkez offering balance on the left. In front of them, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister provide technical security and bite.
Jeremie Frimpong is available after a month out with a thigh injury. Yet immediate reintegration feels unlikely, particularly when defensive metrics are trending positively. Slot’s Liverpool have conceded little of late and patience may be rewarded.
Liverpool vs West Ham United Predicted lineup
With Wirtz sidelined and several squad players unavailable, continuity seems the guiding principle.
Predicted Liverpool XI:
Alisson, Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Jones, Gakpo, Ekitike
Mohamed Salah’s form will draw scrutiny. He endured a quiet afternoon at the City Ground and has gone nine Premier League matches without a goal. Even so, his movement continues to distort defensive shapes, creating spaces for Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike to exploit.
Unavailable for Liverpool are Isak, Leoni, Bradley, Endo and Wirtz.
For West Ham United, organisation and counter attacking precision will be key. They are likely to concede territory and test Liverpool’s patience. The first goal, as ever at Anfield, could define the afternoon.
Score prediction: Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United
