Prediction: Liverpool vs West Ham

Liverpool look to strengthen their top‑four ambitions on Saturday afternoon when they welcome relegation‑threatened West Ham to Anfield.

The visitors arrive desperate for revenge after falling 2–0 to the Reds at the London Stadium three months ago, while Arne Slot’s men aim to extend their momentum in the Champions League chase.

Liverpool

Liverpool’s league campaign has been defined by late twists more than any other side. Their Premier League matches have featured 13 goals scored in the 90th minute or later—seven for, six against. Remarkably, nine of those strikes have altered the result, with the Reds contributing three late winners but also suffering four heartbreaks.

The most recent of those dramatic finales came last weekend, when Alexis Mac Allister buried a 97th‑minute winner in a 1–0 triumph at Nottingham Forest. Moments before scoring, the Argentine had an effort disallowed by VAR, and Forest had dominated long stretches of the contest—yet Slot’s side still found a way to steal the points.

Liverpool’s fall from last season’s dominance remains stark. At this stage 12 months ago, they were 12 points clear at the summit with 66 points; now, they sit sixth, 21 points worse off, level with Chelsea and three behind Manchester United in the race for fourth.

Nevertheless, Slot’s men have quietly pieced together a run that offers hope. They have claimed back‑to‑back 1–0 wins—against Forest and Sunderland—and victory this weekend would give them three successive Premier League triumphs without conceding for the first time since Slot’s opening three league matches in charge.

Their recent record against West Ham provides further encouragement. Liverpool have lost just one of their last 19 league meetings with the Hammers (15 wins, three draws), and they have won seven of the last eight encounters since their 3–2 defeat in November 2021.

Team News

Liverpool are still without Alexander Isak (leg), Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni (both knee), and Wataru Endo (ankle). However, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong both have a chance of returning from back and hamstring issues respectively.

Wirtz withdrew from the starting XI at the City Ground with minor discomfort but is expected to return to his preferred No. 10 role. Frimpong’s ability to start is less certain, meaning Dominik Szoboszlai may once again deputise at right‑back.

Cody Gakpo’s poor run of form puts him at risk of losing his starting position to Rio Ngumoha or Federico Chiesa. Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike are likely to continue in attack—though Salah has now gone nine league games without scoring and Ekitike has blanked in seven of his last eight Premier League appearances.

West Ham

West Ham’s 14‑year stint in the Premier League is still in danger, but their recent turnaround has revived hope. The Hammers have collected 11 points from their last six matches—as many as they managed in their previous 18 league fixtures combined.

A 2–0 victory at Burnley kicked off a productive February, followed by draws against Manchester United (1–1) and Bournemouth (0–0). That point against the Cherries leaves them 18th and two points from safety, but the momentum is trending upward.

If West Ham are to cause an upset on Merseyside, an early breakthrough may be crucial. They have scored 59% of their league goals in the first half, the highest share in the division (19 of 32). Liverpool, by contrast, have scored only 31% of their Premier League goals before halftime—the lowest proportion in the league.

Yet history at Anfield has rarely been kind to the Hammers. They have won just one of their last 52 Premier League away games against Liverpool (39 defeats, 12 draws), their lone success being a 3–0 win under Slaven Bilić in 2015.

Similarly daunting, West Ham have lost 26 of their 29 Premier League away matches against the previous season’s champions (W1 D2), and Nuno Espírito Santo has been defeated more often by Liverpool (eight times) than by any other side.

Team News

Freddie Potts serves the second game of his three‑match suspension. Pablo Felipe (calf) and Lukasz Fabiański (back) remain sidelined.

Nuno may opt to switch to a back five, potentially recalling Jean‑Clair Todibo to join Konstantinos Mavropanos and Axel Disasi at centre‑back, with Aaron Wan‑Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf used as wing‑backs.

Mateus Fernandes, Tomáš Souček and Soungoutou Magassa compete for midfield places, while Crysencio Summerville and captain Jarrod Bowen are expected to support striker Valentín Castellanos, who scored his first Premier League goal in West Ham’s recent 4–2 win away at Burnley.

Conclusion

West Ham have improved significantly since the turn of the year and possess the tactical discipline to frustrate Liverpool. This may be a closer contest than many predict, especially given Liverpool’s mixed home record this season (four wins, three draws, three losses).

However, the Reds’ historical superiority in this fixture, combined with the potential return of key players, should give them an edge. If Liverpool’s attackers rediscover sharpness, Slot’s side should be able to secure the points and keep their Champions League ambitions alive.

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 2/5

Bookmaker: Luckster