Liverpool endured a rare wobble in their quest for the Premier League last week, losing 3-2 against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Nearest rivals Arsenal were unable to capitalise fully on the defeat, drawing 1-1 with Everton. This means there is an 11-point gap at the top of the table going into this weekend. This may be reduced to eight by the time the Reds play, so they will be hoping to bounce back.
Snapping Liverpool’s 26-match unbeaten run in the English top flight was quite a feat by Fulham and the Reds will hope that history doesn’t repeat. They face a tricky West Ham side with nothing to play for, mired in 16th with no threat of relegation.
LIVERPOOL VS WEST HAM PREVIEW
Liverpool’s recent record against West Ham is incredibly favourable. They have won seven of their last eight encounters in all competitions and 15 of their last 18.
The reverse fixture earlier this season saw the Reds thump the Hammers 5-0 at the London Stadium. Goals from Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah put the game to bed before half-time. Strikes from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota put the icing on the cake.
The last game at Anfield was a League Cup tie back in September, which Liverpool won almost as emphatically. Braces from Jota and Gakpo, as well as a strike from Salah, saw the Reds win 5-1.
Last season’s corresponding fixture saw Liverpool win 3-1, so confidence will be high going into this fixture at Anfield.
On the injury front, Aaron Cresswell missed West Ham’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth last week so is a doubt for the trip to Liverpool.
Michail Antonio and Crysencio Summerville are long-term absentees, but aside from this, Head Coach Graham Potter has a strong squad at his disposal.
Goalkeeper Alisson could return to the Liverpool side after recovering from concussion. Defenders Joe Gomez (hamstring) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (ankle) definitely won’t feature.
LIVERPOOL VS WEST HAM – PREDICTIONS
Liverpool Win
Liverpool have only lost once to West Ham in their last 57 games at Anfield. They are on a 13-game unbeaten streak at home and have won their last five. They also have a far greater need for points than the Hammers do. The recent head-to-head record also strongly favours the Reds.
Draw
West Ham recently secured a draw on Merseyside, holding Everton 1-1 at Goodison Park. Most of West Ham’s recent games have been close, either draws or wins/defeats by one goal margins. They have few injuries and will certainly challenge Liverpool at Anfield.
West Ham Win
The Hammers beat Arsenal at the Emirates back in February so certainly have the potential to beat the top teams. With nothing to play for, they can approach their game with confidence.
LIVERPOOL VS WEST HAM – BETTING TIPS
Liverpool Win
It’s hard to see beyond Liverpool really. They have home advantage and will want to get back on track following their defeat to Fulham last week. They will want to tie up the league title as quickly as possible, not wanting to give Arsenal a chance of catching up. Liverpool are also unbeaten in 13 games at Anfield, have won their last five, and have only lost one game in 57 at home against West Ham.
Over 2.5 Goals
There have been over 2.5 goals in all six of the last six encounters between the two sides. Liverpool have netted 22 times in this period, with West Ham scoring in all but one of these games too. Both Teams To Score may not be another bad shout either, but West Ham were shut out back in December in that 5-0 defeat. They have only scored 15 goals away from home in the Premier League this season too.
HEAD-TO-HEAD AND KEY STATS
- Liverpool and West Ham have met on 152 occasions, with the Reds winning 85. The Hammers have won 29 while there have been 38 draws.
- Liverpool are on an eight-match unbeaten run against West Ham in all competitions, winning seven of these.
- Liverpool have lost just once in their last 57 home games against West Ham (W42, D14).
- Liverpool will be looking to score five goals against the same opposition for the third time this season. They won 5-0 at the London Stadium in the Premier League and 5-1 in the League Cup earlier this campaign. No English top flight team has done this before.
- Liverpool are on a five-match winning run at Anfield in the Premier League.
- Liverpool are undefeated at Anfield in their last 13 games, winning 11 of them.
- West Ham have only won one game in the last 18 against Liverpool (D2, L15).
- West Ham are on a four-match winless streak (D2, L2) in the English top flight.
- West Ham have scored 15 goals away from home in the Premier League this season. Only Everton, Southampton and Leicester have scored fewer.
