West Ham travel to Anfield this weekend with a fair degree of optimism: The reigning Champions look less than invincible this season and the Hammers have a spring in their step after their own run of much improved form.
Liverpool’s Egyptian genius Mohammed Salah isn’t having the best of seasons, a nine game goal drought seemingly weighing heavily on the little genius and partially explaining the Reds’ modest – by their own standards- 45 point Premier league total.
Liverpool’s ‘modest’ sixth place masks a big uptick in their own form
However, don’t be fooled into thinking West Ham are going to have it easy: Liverpool’s ‘lowly’ current sixth place masks a significant improvement in form in recent months. As reported in thetimes.com:
“Liverpool languished in 13th place when they last prepared to face Nuno Espírito Santo’s side and now they lie sixth, back in contention for the Champions League qualification that is so important to their self-sustaining financial model.
That does not tally with pre-season expectations, but is, nevertheless, an uptick from where they were and the improvement has been founded largely upon straightening out the defensive deficiencies that had been so damaging.“
Indeed, Liverpool have lost only twice since the last meeting at London Stadium. Nuno Espirito Santo has to wrestle with his instincts when choosing his starting line up: Going defensive with three centre backs and hoping to nick a goal late on might be fine for a mid table side but relegation-threatened West Ham need a win.
Much will depend on the fitness of last weekend’s defensive stalwart Mavropanos who took a mighty blow on the knee.
With the Reds just scraping home against relegation-challenged Nottingham Forest, this could still be the best time to take on the annual Anfield challenge, but three at the back and a defensive set up will see Nuno under enormous criticism if the Hammers don’t at least have a crack at all three points.
Ignore Salah at our peril. However, there are others in the Liverpool side who can hurt us.
Best foot forward. If we press and concentrate we will limit their opportunities. Our boys at the back are more than capable of looking after a couple of attackers. It is when we are all in our box that we are overwhelmed and the inevitable happens.
COYI
The team needs to get out there and press. The best form of defence is attack, to sit back and invite Liverpool to attack will result in only one thing.
He better not start with three at the back again!!