LONDON, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 29, 2020: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah walks through pyrotechnics before the FA Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Liverpool FC at the London Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Hammers up next as Reds edge closer to the title – Liverpool vs. West Ham Preview

Liverpool meet West Ham for the second time in a month on Monday night, as their four-game stretch against relegation candidates continues in the Premier League.

Liverpool vs. West Ham

Monday, February 24, 2020 – 8pm (GMT)
Anfield
Premier League (27)
Referee: Jonathan Moss


The Reds are five wins away from the title, and in their next three games they face sides in danger of dropping out of the top flight come May.

Having secured a 1-0 victory over bottom-placed Norwich last time out in the league, Jurgen Klopp‘s side host a West Ham outfit who sat 18th in the table heading into the weekend.

Their last meeting came on January 29, after postponement due to the Club World Cup, with David Moyes overseeing one of the most limp performances any side has produced against the champions-elect so far this season.

The Hammers endured a 2-0 defeat to Man City in midweek, having seen just 22 percent of possession at the Etihad and managing three shots on goal to City’s 20, failing to hit the target once.

Moyes’ abject second run in east London rolls on, but he will be eager to end this against a Liverpool side who suffered a rare defeat at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.

By the same token, Klopp will demand a response, although it was far from a disappointing showing at the Wanda Metropolitano; one to build on, rather than rectify.

Liverpool should take another step towards the title on Monday night, but as Norwich proved, they cannot expect victory despite a 52-point lead over their opponents.

 

Team News

MADRID, SPAIN - Tuesday, February 18, 2020: Liverpool's captain Jordan Henderson goes down injured during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Club Atlético de Madrid and Liverpool FC at the Estadio Metropolitano. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

There is one key absentee for the Reds in the shape of Jordan Henderson, who suffered a hamstring injury at Atletico in midweek.

Klopp expects the captain to be out for “three weeks or so,” which rules him out of Monday night’s clash and the following three games at least.

This could provide an opportunity for Naby Keita, while the likes of Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Takumi Minamino will be hopeful of a place in the starting lineup.

Xherdan Shaqiri is also out, with the winger “not close” to a return from a calf problem, and though Nathaniel Clyne is back from an ACL injury he is not involved.

West Ham will be without right-back Ryan Fredericks, after he sustained shoulder ligament damage in the 2-0 loss to City, while Moyes confirmed on Friday that Andriy Yarmolenko is still short of fitness.

Fredericks’ absence should see Pablo Zabaleta start at right-back, with Moyes unlikely to make many changes to his side from last time out.

However, Sebastien Haller and Felipe Anderson are among the options to come in.

Possible West Ham XI: Fabianski; Zabaleta, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Noble, Rice, Soucek; Antonio, Lanzini, Haller

 

Last 5 at Home to West Ham (All Competitions)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 12, 2018: Liverpool's Sadio Mane [#10] celebrates scoring the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and West Ham United FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Won 4-0 – August 2018 (Salah, Mane x2, Sturridge)
Won 4-1 – February 2018 (Can, Salah, Firmino, Mane; Antonio)
Drew 2-2 – December 2016 (Lallana, Origi; Payet, Antonio)
Drew 0-0 – January 2016
Lost 3-0 – August 2015 (Lanzini, Noble, Sakho)

 

Did You Know?

LONDON, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 29, 2020: West Ham United's manager David Moyes during the FA Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Liverpool FC at the London Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

This is the first time since 2016/17 that Moyes is facing Liverpool twice in a Premier League season, and only the second time in six years.

As Everton manager, he led his side into back-to-back league clashes with the Reds for 11 consecutive seasons, before his ill-fated move to Man United in 2013.

Moyes has failed to win his last 11 meetings with Liverpool in the league, with his most recent being United’s 1-0 victory in the League Cup third round in 2013.

His last victory over Liverpool in the league ended 2-0 to Everton in 2010, with seven losses and four draws coming between now and then, in spells with Everton, United, Sunderland and now twice with West Ham.

The Scot has only beaten the Reds five time in his managerial career, losing 18 and drawing nine; only Arsenal (21) and Chelsea (22) have enjoyed more success over Moyes’ sides.

 

Form

NORWICH, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 15, 2020: Liverpool's Sadio Mané celebrates scoring the only goal of the game during the FA Premier League match between Norwich City FC and Liverpool FC at Carrow Road. Liverpool won 1-0. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool – Last five results (all competitions)

Lost 1-0 vs. Atletico Madrid
Won 1-0 vs. Norwich
Won 1-0 vs. Shrewsbury
Won 4-0 vs. Southampton
Won 2-0 vs. West Ham

West Ham – Last five results (all competitions)

Lost 2-0 vs. Man City
Drew 3-3 vs. Brighton
Lost 2-0 vs. Liverpool
Lost 1-0 vs. West Brom
Lost 4-1 vs. Leicester

 

Klopp’s View

Speaking at Melwood on Friday, Klopp urged his side to “put things right” following the “hardest rain” of defeat in Madrid:

“To put it right is to get the other feeling back, which I don’t think we ever lost how a win feels as we’ve won a few games, but now we lost it and the difference is massive.

“It’s much more than three points. It’s from sunshine to hardest rain and that’s how it should be.

“If you really want to be successful, which we could have been in that game, it has to feel really bad.

“And that’s how it felt. Yes, we want to put things right even when it’s a different competition.”

 

TV & Liveblog Info

Camera, Anfield, matchday (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool’s home clash with the Hammers will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in the UK, with coverage beginning at 7pm.

This Is Anfield’s Chris Williams will be providing our usual brand of biased coverage throughout, with our matchday live blog kicking off at 7.15pm.