Liverpool, currently in excellent form in the Premier League, aims to continue their impressive start when they face West Ham United at Anfield this Sunday.
The manager had a familiar feeling when his team fell behind early in their recent Europa League match against LASK Linz in Austria, as it marked another lacklustre start to the game.
Liverpool have maintained a consistent pattern of conceding the first goal but still winning games, as seen in their recent 3-1 victory over LASK Linz in the Europa League.
They continued this trend in their previous Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, securing a 3-1 win after a second-half comeback.
Must Read: Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip speaks out on Anfield future amid contract talks
'We have to be the best version of ourselves' – Jürgen Klopp 👊#LIVWHU
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 22, 2023
This victory marked their fourth consecutive win in the Premier League following a 1-1 draw with Chelsea on the opening weekend. As a result, Liverpool are now considered a strong contender in the PL title race.
West Ham, despite a setback against Manchester City that ended their three-match winning streak in the league, could surpass expectations for the 2023-24 season.
They initially took the lead against Manchester City with a goal from James Ward-Prowse but eventually suffered a 3-1 defeat at home.
However, they managed to secure a similar comeback victory in their recent European match against Serbian side TSC Backa Topola.
Liverpool vs. West Ham United: Head-to-head
Klopp has become accustomed to handling tense situations since he began leading Liverpool.
He has managed to win more matches (36) and accumulate more points (138) from losing positions than any other Premier League manager during his time at Anfield.
In their last home game, Liverpool defeated Aston Villa 3-0 smoothly, extending their impressive unbeaten streak at home in the league to 14 matches, with 11 wins and 3 draws in that run.
Also Read: Liverpool plotting a move for £86m-rated Real Madrid star Rodrygo Goes
Liverpool’s recent win at Wolverhampton extended their unbeaten streak in the Premier League to 16 consecutive matches, with 11 wins and 5 draws during this run.
Back to it on Sunday. 👊 pic.twitter.com/IaLvCFPW1D
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) September 22, 2023
This streak represents the longest ongoing unbeaten run in the division. Liverpool’s strong home form can also provide confidence, as they have won their last six top-flight home matches against West Ham.
The Hammer’s last Premier League match on Merseyside without a defeat was in December 2016 when they managed a 2-2 draw during Klopp’s first season in England.
However, since then, they have struggled to score more than one goal in five out of six league visits to Anfield, including two consecutive 1-0 defeats in their last two away meetings.
Also Read: West Ham feeling the heat as Liverpool intensify their interest in Jarrod Bowen
Historically, West Ham has had difficulties at Anfield, with just one win in their last 54 matches there (13 draws, 39 losses). David Moyes has not secured a victory in front of the Kop despite having 20 opportunities, resulting in seven draws and 13 losses.
Liverpool vs. West Ham United: Team News
Klopp made several changes and rested key first-team players during the midweek Europa League match.
However, players like Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexis Mac Allister, who started on the bench, are expected to return to the starting lineup this weekend.
Virgil van Dijk, who was serving a two-game suspension after a red card against Newcastle United, will also be back and will resume his role as the team’s captain.
Also Read: Scottish wonderkid Ben Doak signs new professional contract with Liverpool
Unfortunately, Thiago Alcantara, who has been dealing with a long-term injury, remains unavailable and is the only injured player for both teams.
Similar to Klopp, David Moyes also used the chance to rest some of his key players when they faced a weaker opponent. Players like Nayef Aguerd, Vladimir Coufal, Jarrod Bowen, and Michail Antonio were given additional time to rest and recover.
Liverpool vs. West Ham United: Predicted lineups
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson; Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones; Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez.
West Ham United (4-2-3-1): Alphonse Areola; Vladimir Coufal, Nayef Aguerd, Kurt Zouma, Emerson Palmieri; Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez; Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma; Michail Antonio.
Our Score Prediction: Liverpool 3-2 West Ham United
A score of 3-2 in favour of Liverpool would be our prediction, citing their historical dominance at home in this fixture and expecting them to perform strongly against the Hammers.
