Liverpool vs. West Ham United: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Liverpool host West Ham United at Anfield on Saturday, hoping to go second in the Premier League. The Reds can leapfrog bitter rivals Manchester United with a win, ahead of the Red Devils' game at home to Chelsea on Sunday.
The stakes are also high for the Hammers, who still need points to stave off the threat of relegation. The east London club has been revived since David Moyes replaced Slaven Bilic as manager in November, moving up to 12th. However, they are still a mere four points above the drop zone.
Before a preview, here are the schedule and viewing details:
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Date: Saturday, February 24
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET
TV Info: CNBC
Live Stream: fubo Premier
Moyes' task will be made harder by the injuries and suspensions he is dealing with. Among them, defender Arthur Masuaku is still serving a six-match ban for spitting.
Masuaku's absence means Moyes may press veteran Patrice Evra into action. The Hammers recently signed the 36-year-old left-back on a free transfer until the end of the season.
Another concern for the West Ham defence involves centre-back Winston Reid, who is dealing with a "throat infection," per Alex Young of the London Evening Standard.
To make matters worse, Moyes will also be without striker Andy Carroll and may be missing attacking midfielder Manuel Lanzini. Both players are dealing with injuries, although there is hope the former Liverpool man will return from his ankle problem later in the campaign, according to Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror.
As for Lanzini, the Argentina international has been dealing with a hamstring injury but recently resumed full training and is "eyeing a return" against Liverpool, per Sam Inkersole of Football.London.
With or without Lanzini, West Ham have enough quality in attacking areas to worry the Reds. Attackers Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez have been in fine form recently, with the former proving a creative outlet and a useful source of goals.
Moyes' bigger worry will be how his defence with the considerable threat posed by Liverpool's dynamic front three. Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah have all been deadly in front of goal recently.
All three were on the scoresheet in the 5-0 win away to FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League on February 14, with Mane netting a hat-trick. They will be available for Saturday, as Reds boss Jurgen Klopp can pick from what is close to a full-strength squad.
Liverpool's attacking prowess should translate into another comfortable win for a side looking increasingly capable of competing for next season's Premier League title.
