Liverpool vs West Ham United – Match preview and team news

The Football Faithful

·25 September 2024

Liverpool vs West Ham United – Match preview and team news

Liverpool begin their defence of the Carabao at Anfield this week, but visitors West Ham will be looking to kill off their chances of retaining the trophy at the first hurdle.

After a slight blip at home to Nottingham Forest, Arne Slot’s players have gotten back on track with consecutive victories against Milan in the Champions League and Bournemouth in the Premier League.

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The Hammers have struggled so far this campaign, so they will be turning to the cups for a source of comfort and to reassure their fans that they are going in the right direction under new manager Julen Lopetegui.

First choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker remains a doubt so Caoimhin Kelleher will stay in goals while Harvey Elliott remains unavailable due to a broken foot.

Striker Niclas Fullkrug is sidelined with a calf issue and the German will not reach full fitness in time to be involved in the third round tie.

Liverpool vs West Ham United match preview and team news

Form

Liverpool: WWLWW

It’s been dream start to life on Merseyside for Arne Slot as the Dutchman has started his tenure with five wins and only one loss from six games in all competitions.

Last weekend saw them resume the dominance they had displayed in every game except that Forest defeat as they put three past a dispirited Bournemouth without reply.

Colombian Luis Diaz has reached new heights since Slot’s appointment and he continued his productive form with a brace to take his goal tally for the season to five.

Darwin Nunez also got himself on the scoresheet with a precise curling effort that flew beyond the reach of the despairing Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal.

Liverpool are looking to avoid another surprising slip up in front of their home fans as they eye up another trip to Wembley in this competition.

West Ham: WWLDL

Julen Lopetegui has struggled to instil his coaching philosophy on his new group of players so far as West Ham are falling into mediocrity.

Their 3-0 hammering at home to Chelsea highlighted several issues with the system as they looked bereft of ideas and disorganised defensively.

They’re currently winless in three games and extending that already disheartening run of form would pile the pressure on an already beleaguered Lopetegui.

They progressed into the third round unconvincingly as a late Jarrod Bowen strike saw the Irons scrape past Bournemouth at the London Stadium.

Read – Liverpool predicted lineup and team news vs West Ham

Last Meeting

West Ham 2-2 Liverpool, Premier League, 27th April 2024

Their last encounter was an entertaining one, as Liverpool and West Ham played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in East London.

Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring to net his 20th goal of the season with an accurate header from a corner, an avenue that often bore fruit for David Moyes’ outfit.

After the interval, there was a collector’s item as Andy Robertson squeezed the ball in the near post of Alphonse Areola’s net to draw the sides level.

Then it was Liverpool’s turn to profit off a corner as a Trent Alexander-Arnold delivery found Cody Gakpo at the back post whose shot bounced off several bodies before deflecting off Areola and into the back of the net.

But West Ham responded well and Michael Antonio equalised with six minutes to go with a perfectly placed header that caught out the flat-footed Allison.

On the balance of play, a draw was probably a fair result and the decisive goal proved elusive for both sides.