West Ham United might not be having the best season under Julen Lopetegui but Liverpool will have to play well to get the three points at the London Stadium this weekend.
Last season, the game ended in a 2-2 draw, and in the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta, West Ham has players who can cause a problem on the counter-attack with plenty of quality in the final third. Liverpool will have to be at it to control things and give the home crowd little encouragement.
Arne Slot will only be without two players through injury for his match: Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley. “They will not be back for West Ham United,” the Reds boss said in his press conference.
“Then there is a week in between. Let’s see how close they are [before Manchester United]. It is difficult to tell you at this moment because they don’t train with the group yet.”
Dominik Szoboszlai, though, will sit the game out. The Hungary midfielder picked up his fifth booking of the season against Leicester, meaning he must serve a one-match ban.
West Ham, meanwhile, could be without a few players. Max Kilman will be assessed after injuring his shoulder against Southampton, while Lukasz Fabianski picked up a head injury in the same game and will be missing.
Carlos Soler has a knee injury, and Guido Rodriguez and Tomas Soucek, like Szoboszlai, are suspended. Michail Antonio will be out for months.
