Prediction: West Ham vs Liverpool

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 57/100

Bookmaker: ZetBet

Liverpool will seek to reach the 45-point tally before the year is over when they travel to face West Ham at London Stadium on Sunday. The Premier League leaders come into the game on the back of a 3-1 win over Leicester City in midweek, while the Hammers triumphed 1-0 over last-place Southampton.

West Ham

Liverpool’s thrilling 6-3 victory over Tottenham highlighted both their attacking brilliance and defensive vulnerabilities, as the Reds conceded at least twice in a fourth consecutive Premier League away game. With lapses at Arsenal, Southampton, and Newcastle preceding the North London spectacle, there are signs of frailty in Arne Slot’s rearguard.

West Ham, buoyed by a morale-boosting 1-0 win in Southampton on Thursday with Jarrod Bowen on target, approach their final fixture of the year in a confident mood. Julen Lopetegui’s men are now unbeaten in four Premier League games, earning a commendable eight points to rise above Manchester United into 13th place. The Irons find themselves closer to the top five than the relegation zone, silencing whispers of managerial instability.

The Hammers’ consistency in front of goal has been pivotal, scoring in each of their last seven Premier League matches. At the London Stadium, their resilience is apparent, having lost just once in their previous six league outings.

While West Ham held Liverpool last season at home, the Merseysiders have typically dominated this fixture, winning six of the last seven meetings in all competitions. That includes a resounding 5-1 triumph in September’s Carabao Cup tie, as well as an identical scoreline in last season’s competition, where Liverpool marched to Wembley glory. Both teams will aim to close the year on a high, but the Irons face a daunting task against a relentless Liverpool attack.

Team News

West Ham’s celebrations following their win over Southampton were tempered by a spate of injuries and suspensions, leaving Julen Lopetegui facing significant selection dilemmas ahead of Liverpool’s visit.

The Irons lost Lukasz Fabianski to a head injury, with the veteran goalkeeper stretchered off and now observing concussion protocols. Max Kilman also departed early with a shoulder issue, while Carlos Soler was withdrawn at half-time due to a knee complaint. Adding to the midfield woes, Guido Rodriguez and Tomas Soucek are both suspended.

On the brighter side, Lucas Paqueta’s return from suspension offers some respite, likely slotting into one of the midfield vacancies. Edson Alvarez is also poised for a recall to bolster the engine room, but West Ham remain without Michail Antonio, who continues to recover from injuries sustained in a recent car accident.

Bowen, frequently linked with Liverpool, will represent the greatest attacking threat in Lopetegui’s lineup.

Liverpool

Liverpool’s relentless march toward the Premier League title continued on Thursday evening, as Arne Slot’s high-flying side capitalized on Chelsea’s earlier shock defeat to Fulham by overturning an early setback to defeat Leicester City.

Jordan Ayew’s opener for the Foxes briefly threatened an upset, but the Reds unsurprisingly produced a strong response. Cody Gakpo’s stunning equalizer on the stroke of halftime was the spark Liverpool needed, and Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah completed the turnaround to secure all three points.

Salah’s decisive strike not only sealed the victory but also cemented his place in Premier League history as the eighth player to reach 100 home goals in the competition, achieving the milestone as the fourth-fastest to do so. The Egyptian’s consistent brilliance continues to underpin Liverpool’s success.

With 11 wins from their last 13 matches across all competitions, Liverpool have built a commanding lead at the top of the Premier League table. They remain unbeaten in all 13 away matches this season, finding the net in every game, a testament to Slot’s tactical acumen and the squad’s attacking prowess.

However, defensive frailties have occasionally surfaced, particularly away from Anfield. While their ability to recover and secure results remains impressive, those vulnerabilities might offer a glimmer of hope to upcoming opponents seeking to upset the Reds’ remarkable run.

Team News

There is nothing new on the injury front for Liverpool. The only unfit absentees are Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate, which makes Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez nailed-on starters for Sunday. Dominik Szoboszlai is, however, suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in Thursday, and that means Curtis Jones is also likely to start, though the recently recovered Harvey Elliott is an option as well.

Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz will both be hoping for a start too, with Darwin Nunez most likely to make way for one of them. It’s hard to imagine Cody Gakpo or Mohamed Salah not being in the lineup on Sunday, though a rest for either would arguably be beneficial.

Conclusion

West Ham’s depleted midfield could leave Lopetegui with no choice but to adopt a more attacking approach than he’d like, which might bolster their prospects of exploiting Liverpool’s occasional defensive lapses. Their impressive scoring streak could also pose problems for the league leaders at the London Stadium.

However, Liverpool’s depth and relentless form make them favorites to capitalize on West Ham’s injury woes. With fresh legs in the form of Jota and Diaz available to Slot, the Reds are primed to dismantle a weakened West Ham side and close out the year in dominant fashion. While the Irons may land a few punches, Liverpool’s firepower should ultimately prove overwhelming.

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 57/100

Bookmaker: ZetBet