Liverpool travel to West Ham looking to record a third successive league victory for the first time since December.
The Reds have seven games left to rescue European qualification from a turbulent domestic campaign, with wins over Leeds and Nottingham Forest providing a welcome sense of momentum at just the right moment.
It was a 1-0 win for Liverpool over Wednesday’s opponents when the sides met earlier this season at Anfield, but the London Stadium was the venue for one of only two league defeats for the Reds in 2021/22.
Jurgen Klopp named the same eleven for three consecutive games for the first time since January 2020 in the 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest, could we finally see some changes for this one?
Here’s how Liverpool could line up.
Team News
There was a short and snappy squad update, here’s what Klopp revealed in his press conference:
- Roberto Firmino remains unavailable for the next two games
- Naby Keita could be in “partial training” on Tuesday
- Klopp is “rather positive” about Ibrahima Konate‘s fitness
Liverpool’s XI vs. West Ham
Thiago, who recovered from a hip flexor issue to come off the bench in Liverpool’s last three fixtures, could be in contention.
But the Spaniard’s last league start came prior to the injury in a 3-0 defeat at Wolves at the start of February with the manager preferring Curtis Jones of late.
Diaz will also be hoping to add to his cameo appearances against Leeds and Nottingham Forest, but the game may come too early to make his way into the manager’s starting XI for the first time since October.
Klopp could look to rest Fabinho for the trip to West Ham, with the Brazilian a yellow card in this game away from a two-match ban.
Here is how it could look on Wednesday night:
- Thiago to return to the starting XI in place of Jones
- Elliott replaces Fabinho, with Henderson dropping deeper
- Front three remains unchanged after consecutive braces from Jota
This is how Liverpool would line up:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Elliott, Thiago; Salah, Jota, Gakpo
There are a number of players who might have something to say about that lineup, with Darwin Nunez having not started since the goalless draw at Chelsea.
Fabinho has begun to show glimpses of form and will also be keen to start regardless of the threat of suspension.
Should Konate remain a doubt, we could see Joe Gomez introduced from the start for the first time since the trip to Stamford Bridge three weeks ago.
With this in mind, we could potentially see something like this:
- Nunez to replace Cody Gakpo through the middle as he did off the bench against Forest
- Fabinho to join Thiago and Henderson in the middle of the park
- Gomez to come in for Konate at centre-back
Here’s how the alternate team could look:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dik, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Jota, Nunez
However Klopp chooses to set up against West Ham for the midweek clash, he will be hoping to see the same improved level of performance that the side have produced in recent weeks.
Just seven games separate the Reds from their European fate next season and a positive set of results in the run-in could have healthy knock-on implications for momentum.
Let’s keep this going, Liverpool!
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