Liverpool looms… it could get messy

By Dave Langton

We were talking last week about the Liverpool game being the real test for the Irons but after their form over the last week, and the Hammers’ injury crisis, it looks like things might get messy on Wednesday night.

The Irons may have beaten Anderlecht last week but they followed that up with a disappointing draw away at Southampton; Liverpool, by comparison, thumped Rangers 7-1 and then beat Manchester City 1-0 at a raucous Anfield on Sunday.

We now go into the game without a fully fit centre-back.

Craig Dawson is unlikely to be fit, Nayef Aguerd is still injured, Kurt Zouma is continuing to recover from an illness, and Thilo Kehrer has primarily been played as a right-back.

Daws’ presence defensively has been greatly missed, as has his aerial threat at corners.

The Hammers had to play Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell as makeshift centre-backs, as well as Kehrer, against Southampton. The Saints got in multiple times, and Lukasz Fabianski had to make some superb saves to keep the Irons in the game.

Against the Reds, though, it won’t be Che Adams running at the backline, it’ll be Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino.

We’ve got a real fear that things might get out of hand at Anfield…