Liverpool v West Ham Preview: History, Team News, Key Battles and More

Published on: 09 December 2016

A week after a humiliating 4-3 defeat away to Bournemouth - despite leading by two goals on two occasions - Liverpool will be hoping to bounce back immediately to continue their push for the title.


Without a win in five, including a 5-1 home loss last week to Arsenal, West Ham could also do with a win here and may fancy their chances slightly at a ground where they were 3-0 winners last year.

West Ham did the league double over Liverpool last season for the first time since 1964;scoring five and conceding zero in the process. They also dumped the Reds out of the FA Cup in the fourth round thanks to a late Angelo Ogbonna header.


When West Ham won thisfixture 3-0 last season, Liverpool largely had themselves to blame after gifting goals to the Hammers through individual defensive errors and seeing themselves go down to ten men when Philippe Coutinho was shown red.


West Ham currently lead the way this season for most goals conceded directly as the result of individual errors. Judgingby Liverpool's collapse last week at Bournemouth, either side could ship a goal or two in this one.

Team News

Liverpool are likely to have Joel Matip back after he returned to training recently, alongside Sadio Mane who picked up a knock last weekend. Daniel Sturridge, however, is yet to resume full training and will not be available for this fixture.


West Ham are boosted by the goalscoringreturn of Andy Carroll as well as the availability ofMichail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell. Slaven Bilic's side willstillbe without centre-backs James Collins and Cheikhou Kouyate, however.


Possible Liverpool lineup: Karius; Clyne, Matip, Lovren, Milner; Henderson, Can, Lallana; Mane, Firmino, Origi.


Possible West Ham lineup: Randolph; Arbeloa, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Noble, Obiang, Antonio, Lanzini, Payet; Carroll.

Key Battles

Loris Karius v Andy Carroll

With the German singled out by the Cherries last week, Bilic may order his side to do the same and has a powerful weapon in former Liverpool man, Carroll, who is back in time from injury to have a go at bullying the goalkeeper.


Divock Origiv West Ham's Depleted Defence

With a goal in his last three games, Divock Origi seems to be hitting good form at the right time for Liverpool as Coutinho and Sturridge remain unavailable.


Likely to start again, the Belgianwill be hoping to make the most of West Ham's injury woes by testing a defence that was unable to cope with Arsenal last week out.

Prediction

The return of Carroll will probably pose a threat to the shaky Liverpool goalkeeper if West Ham are able to bombard the box with crosses to supply the Geordie. That if is a pretty big one however, because when Liverpool have been at their best, opposition sides have found it difficult to get out of their own box let alone attack Liverpool's.


Matip's return from injury should add some stability to Klopp's defence whilst an attacking quartet of Origi, Lallana, Firmino and Mane could prove too much for West Ham's injury-hit defence.


Liverpool 3-1 West Ham


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