West Ham vs. Liverpool: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Less than two weeks after their last meeting, Slaven Bilic welcomes Jurgen Klopp to the Boleyn Ground to contest an FA Cup fourth-round replay on Tuesday night, with a fifth-round clash away to Blackburn Rovers at stake for either West Ham United or Liverpool.
The last time the Reds took on the Hammers, the two sides played out a dull 0-0 draw at Anfield, with a youthful Liverpool selection—including under-21s captain Cameron Brannagan—holding firm against a bright West Ham outfit.
This time around, Klopp will be desperate to seal a comprehensive victory to ease the pain of Saturday's removed appendix—and the small matter of a 2-2 draw with Sunderland, and 10,000 protesting fans flooding out of Anfield.
Having tasted both victory and defeat since their trip to Merseyside, Bilic's West Ham will push for consistency in form, with silverware and a top-six finish not out of the question as the season reaches its closing months.
So who will be booking their trip to Ewood Park at the close of play on Tuesday?
Date: Tuesday, 9 February
Time: 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Venue: Boleyn Ground, London
TV Info: BT Sport 2 (U.K. only) / Fox Sports 1 (U.S only)
Live Stream: BT Sport Player (U.K only) / FOX Soccer 2Go (U.S only)
Form Lines (Last 5 Games)
West Ham: L-D-D-W-L
Liverpool: W-L-D-L-D
Team News
Bilic's main concern comes on the right-hand side of his defensive line, with January signing Sam Byram cup-tied, and James Tomkins joining Carl Jenkinson on the treatment table.
This leaves Joey O'Brien as the Croatian's only recognised right-back, as he told reporters on Monday, per the club's official website:
"James Tomkins got injured in the Southampton game, he felt it before during the warm up but he said he was OK. At half-time he said he was OK but shortly after that it went, it’s a calf injury. He has a scan this morning, so after that we’ll know more. It’s probably a few weeks if we are lucky, maybe more. It’ll be two to four weeks.
We are OK, Sam is OK for the Premier League and also Joey O’Brien is back after a long absence. Of course he is a good player, his quality was never in doubt. Losing Tomkins is a big blow for us but we have options.
"
Meanwhile, powerful midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate is unavailable due to an eye infection, while both Manuel Lanzini and Diafra Sakho remain out of contention through injury.
Andy Carroll is returning to full fitness, however, while winter loan signing Emmanuel Emenike will be pushing for a starting role after making his debut as a substitute in Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Southampton.
Though Klopp has endured similar injury problems throughout 2015/16, the former Borussia Dortmund manager finds himself in a favourable position heading into this important tie.
With Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Divock Origi all fit and returning to full training last week, Klopp is able to inject his attacking line with quality.
But while he has suggested, according to the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce, that he would field a stronger lineup than last time against the Hammers, the trio are unlikely to all start:
"Extra time is possible so it is a little bit complicated. They can’t start all together because you know we will have to change three times because the whole game will be too much in this moment.
That is what we have to figure out how we do it best but we will find a solution for sure.
We will make a lineup capable of getting us into the next round.
"
Pearce suggests that on-loan defender Steven Caulker, 23-year-old hopefuls Joao Carlos Teixeira and Jon Flanagan and fringe first-team players Lucas Leiva and Christian Benteke are all being lined up to start.
A clutch of young players, including Kevin Stewart and Brad Smith, are likely to feature, though Brannagan will miss out due to illness.
Dejan Lovren and Joe Allen are doubts after leaving the field with injury during Saturday's draw with Sunderland, while Martin Skrtel, Joe Gomez, Jordan Rossiter and Danny Ings are long-term absentees.
Predicted Lineups
Having named a slightly rotated, yet strong, lineup for the initial tie at Anfield, Bilic is unlikely to make too many changes to his selection at home.
This should see Darren Randolph continue between the sticks, behind a back four of O'Brien, Winston Reid, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell, though the absence of Kouyate could see a change in approach in midfield.
Bilic could instead opt for a two-man holding unit of Pedro Obiang and Alex Song, with Dimitri Payet taking up the No. 10 role, flanked by Michail Antonio and Victor Moses.
Enner Valencia is likely to lead the line, but both Carroll and Emenike will be hopeful of game time.
Though Klopp has indicated that he will name a strong side in search of victory, the German will no doubt make changes to the side that drew 2-2 with the Black Cats on Saturday, possibly starting by fielding 22-year-old goalkeeper Danny Ward in place of Simon Mignolet.
Lovren's injury and Mamadou Sakho's fatigue could prompt a change in the centre-back ranks, with Caulker and Kolo Toure able to deputise, while Flanagan and Smith are set to take up their roles on the flanks.
In midfield, Brannagan's illness and Allen's injury leaves Klopp with little option but to partner Stewart with a more experienced player—likely Lucas—and this could see Liverpool operate in a 4-4-2 formation.
Whether Klopp decides to start with any of Coutinho, Origi or Sturridge remains to be seen, but the England international is most likely, and he could join Benteke in attack, supported by Jordon Ibe and Sheyi Ojo.
Likely West Ham XI: Randolph; O'Brien, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Obiang, Song; Antonio, Payet, Moses; Valencia.
Likely Liverpool XI: Ward; Flanagan, Toure, Caulker, Smith; Stewart, Lucas; Ibe, Ojo; Benteke, Sturridge.
Players to Watch
Darren Randolph
Randolph enjoys playing against Liverpool, having kept two clean sheets in two appearances for West Ham against the Reds so far this season.
The athletic Republic of Ireland goalkeeper is looking to continue this fine run of form with another strong performance on Tuesday, as he told the Hammers' official website:
"I take heart from any game that I play in and especially the performances I have put in over the last few games and hopefully I can take that into the Liverpool tie.
I am just happy to play and get any game time I can get.
The Liverpool game is another chance for me to go out and show what I can do.
"
Randolph will have his work cut out for him if he is faced with any of the returning trio of Sturridge, Coutinho or Origi at Anfield, but having secured back-to-back shutouts over Liverpool already this season, he will be in a confident mood.
Daniel Sturridge
A surprise inclusion on the substitutes' bench in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Sunderland, Sturridge will have been disappointed not to feature, though injuries to Allen and Lovren forced stand-in manager Zeljko Buvac's hand.
Given the opportunity to impress in Klopp's attacking lineup against West Ham, Sturridge will be desperate to make up for lost time.
The England international's absence has been lamented by Liverpool supporters over the past two seasons, as the No. 15 is—when fit—a world-class centre-forward, and the only consistent goalscorer in Klopp's squad.
If Sturridge makes an appearance on Tuesday, expect him to find the back of the net.
Key Battle
Liverpool's Left Flank vs. Joey O'Brien
O'Brien hasn't started for West Ham since July's 2-2 Europa League third-round qualifier, first-leg clash with Astra Giurgiu, and having suffered with a long-term calf injury for much of the season, has only made one appearance for the Hammers since being taken off 35 minutes into that encounter.
Therefore, with Byram, Jenkinson and Tomkins all unavailable, O'Brien is set for something of a baptism of fire against the Reds.
With Smith an attack-minded left-back, the Australian will look to bomb forward and overlap Klopp's left-winger—be that Ojo, Ibe, Coutinho or James Milner—and doubling up on O'Brien could prove devastating.
If O'Brien fails to quell Liverpool's left-sided charge, West Ham could be in for a long night camped in their penalty area.
Odds
West Ham: 6/4
Liverpool: 11/5
Draw: 5/2
Odds via Oddschecker and correct at time of writing.
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