Liverpool vs. West Ham: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape Premier League Game

Liverpool host West Ham United at Anfield on Saturday afternoon, seeking to avenge a 3-1 defeat in the corresponding fixture at the Boleyn Ground earlier in the season.

It's a fixture that the away side haven't won in the Premier League era, with the Hammers without a win at Anfield since 1963.

Sam Allardyce's side enter the match one position and one point ahead of Brendan Rodgers' men in the Premier League table. It's a game the home side must win in order to push themselves closer to the coveted top four.

The away side will benefit from having had a week since their last fixture, an FA Cup win at Bristol City last Sunday, while Liverpool suffered extra-time defeat to Chelsea in the League Cup on Tuesday night. The Reds also have an FA Cup replay at Bolton on the horizon.

We take a look at the key issues and decisions that will shape this Premier League game.

Mamadou Sakho's Replacement

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Mamadou Sakho is a doubt for Liverpool after suffering a back injury against Chelsea. Rodgers opted to replace him with Glen Johnson on the night—overlooking £20 million signing Dejan Lovren in the process.

Will Johnson, therefore, continue as the left-sided centre-back of Liverpool's three at the back, or will Lovren come in instead.

Johnson being right-footed meant that it affected Liverpool's game tactically against Chelsea, and Lovren may be a better option to combat Andy Carroll's aerial threat from set pieces.

Liverpool Old Boys with Point to Prove

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Footballers returning to haunt their former clubs is an often-delivered story. Time and again we see players raise their game to return to their old club and deliver the goods.

With Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll among West Ham's ranks, two players who personified the early poor spending of FSG under Damien Comolli, Liverpool fans will be fearing the narrative of "old boy haunts former club."

Carroll and Downing are two in-form players, too, with Carroll grabbing two goals in his last four games. 

Liverpool's Achilles' heel continues to be their failure to defend set pieces, and with West Ham so capable at them, it will be a concern. Downing's delivery and Carroll's aerial presence are things the Hammers will be looking to put to good effect.

The Return of Daniel Sturridge

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Daniel Sturridge makes his long-awaited return to the Liverpool squad, having last featured for the Reds back in August.

He's unlikely to start the match, but his impact from the bench could be a huge influence on this fixture.

Incredibly, Sturridge needs just three more league goals to be Liverpool's joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League this season—showing just how badly they've missed a clinical finisher.

Cheikhou Kouyate's Return

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Midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate had become a key part of West Ham's side prior to the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this month.

He could return for this match after Senegal were eliminated from the competition this week. BBC Sport claim he has returned, but Allardyce has explained—via the Guardian—the difficulties with getting the player back.

West Ham have put on a plane to fly Kouyate back, but Allardyce admits: "Players will try to sneak a couple of days. That’s what they normally do. I learnt that at Bolton."

League Cup Fatigue and Rotation

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Perhaps the biggest decision for Rodgers is whether to rotate his pack after the gruelling fixture with Chelsea in midweek.

Steven Gerrard is unlikely to feature for that reason, with Adam Lallana the likely replacement there.

But will the Northern Irishman be tempted to make changes elsewhere to freshen up his side? Last week he made five changes against Bolton, but replacements of Johnson, Jose Enrique, Joe Allen and Javier Manquillo failed to perform.

Rodgers could opt to bring in Jordon Ibe, the teenage winger who was recalled from loan at Derby County a fortnight ago but has since featured for just five minutes due to being cup-tied in both the FA Cup and League Cup. If he's been recalled, surely it's to actually be involved and not just to play in the Under-21s.