Liverpool vs. West Ham: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
After major disappointments in their respective Premier League matches last weekend, Liverpool and West Ham United will be out to bounce back at Anfield in a key game on Sunday.
The two teams need points for different reasons. The Reds will be keen to keep on the coattails of a rampant Chelsea at the top of the table having lost ground in their dramatic 4-3 loss at Bournemouth.
In the lower reaches of the division, West Ham are just one place and one point clear of the relegation zone after they were mauled 5-1 by Arsenal.
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With that in mind, this is a game well worth tuning into on Sunday.
Here are the key viewing details for the match, the important team news for each side and a look at how this one is likely to pan out on Merseyside.
Date: Sunday, December 11
Time: 4:30 p.m. (GMT), 11:30 a.m. (ET)
TV Info: Sky Sports (U.K.), NBCSN (U.S.)
Live Stream: Sky Go (U.K.), NBC Sports App (U.S.)
Team News
Liverpool: Manager Jurgen Klopp was without Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge in the loss to Bournemouth and will be so again this weekend, while Adam Lallana was only fit enough to make the bench. Joel Matip, who also missed the previous game, has been back in training this week, as has Sadio Mane.
Likely XI: Loris Karius; Nathaniel Clyne, Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren, James Milner; Jordan Henderson, Emre Can, Adam Lallana; Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi, Sadio Mane
West Ham United: Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has a plethora of injuries to deal with, especially in defence. James Collins limped out of the loss with Arsenal, while Michail Antonio, Aaron Cresswell and Cheikhou Kouyate are all doubts. Up top, Diafra Sakho and Gokhan Tore will miss out.
Likely XI: Darren Randolph; Cheikhou Kouyate, Winston Reid, Angelo Ogbonna; Edimilson Fernandes, Pedro Obiang, Mark Noble, Arthur Masuaku; Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Andy Carroll
Team News courtesy of Fantasy Football Scout
Preview
Although Liverpool will be delighted with their campaign as a whole, the loss at Bournemouth was a manifestation of the lingering concerns many have when it comes to this team and considering them as title winners.
Indeed, Loris Karius was nervy between the sticks, while without Matip in defence, the Reds were bullied late on by Benik Afobe and Callum Wilson. In addition, as the Cherries piled forward, Liverpool lacked a player who could take the sting out of the contest and slow down the tempo of a frantic match.
Despite the criticism that's come Karius' way, Bleacher Report's Jack Lusby doesn't feel as though Klopp needs to take any drastic action in terms of the goalkeeper:
There were many positives to take from the loss on the south coast, too. Although the Reds were aided by some questionable goalkeeping from Artur Boruc, going forward there were spells when they looked capable of scoring at will.
With Coutinho and Sturridge both sidelined, Divock Origi is a man who has taken his chance in the team superbly, netting in all of Liverpool's last three games. His goal at Bournemouth—which he finished expertly after being forced wide by a charging Boruc—was an opportunity that so often strikers will spurn.
Squawka Football's Greg Johnson thinks the Belgium international could even usurp Sturridge in the centre-forward pecking order:
Whichever Liverpool attackers take to the field on Sunday, they'll be itching to get at a West Ham defence that's been extremely brittle as of late; they've conceded nine times in their last two matches.
Although manager Bilic has endured some torrid luck with injured players, the Hammers were rank bad in the loss to Arsenal; Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil ran riot in the space afforded to them.
The poor defensive play has hardly been helped by an attack that's lacked the stardust of last season, with Payet in particular struggling for consistency.
The end result is a team that looks set for a relegation scrap this season. Sports journalist Kevin Palmer thinks there is a lot wrong at the club as things stand:
West Ham actually went to Anfield and won 3-0 last term, notching their first three points at this iconic venue since 1963. And while the XI won't be too far removed from those who played on that day, these same players don't seem to have the mentality needed to achieve another positive result.
Additionally, Klopp will demand a big response from his men following their unexpected surrender at Bournemouth. Any complacency will be gone, and subsequently, the visiting supporters will be in for a long afternoon.
Prediction: Liverpool 4-1 West Ham
