Prediction: Liverpool vs West Ham

Verdict: Liverpool win 

Best Odds: 4/11

Bookmaker: Luckster

Turning their attention to EFL Cup action on Wednesday night, Liverpool will welcome a struggling West Ham to Anfield.

Liverpool

Starting with the hosts, while Liverpool might have marked their return from September’s international break with a shock 1-0 loss at home against Nottingham Forest, the Reds have only continued to shine since Arne Slot’s arrival over the summer. Getting their Champions League adventure underway last week with a thumping 3-1 victory away at Italian heavyweights AC Milan, the former Feyenoord has received plenty of early plaudits. Last seen over the weekend picking up a routine 3-0 romp at home against Bournemouth, Liverpool will certainly be smelling the chance to lay down another marker on Wednesday night. Flying out of the traps since opening up the new campaign and winning five of their first six appearances across all competitions, Slot’s high-flying squad are rightfully tipped as a landslide contender at Anfield this week.

Team News

Missing out against Bournemouth over the weekend and dealing with a recent thigh injury, Alisson will once again miss out on Wednesday night. Likewise, sustaining a long-term ankle injury prior to September’s international break, Harvey Elliot remains on the sidelines.

All settling for a spot on the bench on Saturday afternoon, the likes of Diego Jota, Curtis Jones and Konstantinos Tsimikas should be handed a full recall. Likewise, arriving from Italian giants Juventus over the summer, Federico Chiesa should make a first Liverpool start here.

West Ham

As for the visitors, while West Ham might have got their own respective new era underway over the summer, the Hammers have drastically struggled to find their feet under new boss Julen Lopetegui. Putting in a woeful performance on home soil on Saturday lunchtime as they fell to an infamous 3-0 drumming at the hands of London rivals Chelsea, the former Wolves boss already finds mounting pressure on his shoulders. Heading into September’s international break with a routine 3-1 loss against defending champions Manchester City, Wednesday’s guests have recorded just a single victory from any of their first five Premier League appearances. Likewise, mustering just a sole win from any of their last 17 straight showdowns against Liverpool across all competitions, West Ham couldn’t have asked for a tougher examination here.

Team News

West Ham are hopeful that summer recruit and Germany international Niclas Fullkrug will be able to return to Lopetegui’s squad on Wednesday night. Only featuring in nine minutes of Premier League action after completing a move from Nice last month, Jean-Clair Todibo should replace Konstantinos Mavropanos at the heart of the Hammers’ defence.

With Lopetegui expected to make a handful of changes at Anfield, the likes of Tomas Soucek, Carlos Soler and Michail Antonio could feature from the start. Likewise, veteran goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski will replace Alphonse Areola between the sticks at Anfield.

Key Factors to Consider

• When Liverpool and West Ham last met back on April 27th, Wednesday’s opponents played out a 2-2 stalemate at the London Stadium.
• The Reds have lost just one of their previous 17 meetings against the Hammers across all competitions.
• Liverpool have won five of their first six matchups across all competitions so far this season.
• The Hammers have collected just a sole victory from any of their first five Premier League appearances.
• West Ham have recorded just a single clean sheet on their travels throughout 2024.

Conclusion

Storming their way to a routine 3-0 victory at home against Bournemouth over the weekend, Liverpool will certainly be smelling the chance to lay down another marker on Wednesday night. Meeting a West Ham squad that have drastically failed to find any kind of stability, the Reds will be excited by a remarkable record against the midweek guests. Given what has been a huge recent gulf in class, we are backing a home win at Anfield.

Verdict: Liverpool win

Best Odds: 4/11

Bookmaker: Luckster