Liverpool v West Ham predictions: Reds can edge Anfield thriller

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Liverpool v West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bets

Liverpool to win & both teams to score
2pts 7-4 Betfred, Hills

Second half to feature most goals
2pts Evens Betfair, Paddy Power, Hills

Team news

Liverpool
Curtis Jones and Naby Keita are doubts. Joel Matip is ill and Thiago is injured. Roberto Firmino is close to fitness but won't be risked.

West Ham
Vladimir Coufal and Ryan Fredericks are out. Manuel Lanzini should return. Andrei Yarmolenko won't play.

Match preview

David Moyes's punt on sending out a strong team at Southampton on Wednesday night backfired spectacularly, and the impact of that decision might also be felt this weekend.

The West Ham boss fielded pretty much his first team at St Mary's for their fifth-round FA Cup tie, a call that definitely did not pay off as his below-par Hammers were humbled 3-1 by a second-string Saints.

Less than three full days later those same Hammers will emerge, heavy-legged, from the tunnel at Anfield with the even harder task of trying to put a stop to the Liverpool juggernaut in pursuit of Premier League points.

It's hardly an ideal situation for Moyes and one that could end badly with Liverpool taken to win in a game with goals, most of which could well arrive late as the Londoners start to wilt.

West Ham actually looked good for a half at St Mary's having also impressed last weekend when they beat Wolves 1-0, one of just two 90-minute wins in their last eight.

Moyes has deployed a back three twice this week and it'll be interesting to see if he persists with that formation, which, among other things, did seem to free up Tomas Soucek, whose season hasn't been great.

The threats from West Ham are obvious. Jarrod Bowen is in the best form of his career, Michail Antonio is always a danger with his pace and movement, and they will be that much better if Manuel Lanzini can return to pick some locks in the number ten role.

So West Ham can find the net because they are a threat. But there's the nagging suspicion that they will be chasing shadows for long periods against intense opponents, will fade and will cough up chances.

If fatigue is a genuine concern then the likelihood of a higher-scoring second half also adds up.

The stats are on our side with that call – in the last four meetings between these two, both teams have scored in each game with a grand total of 17 goals, 11 of which came after the interval.

The most recent of those four games was in November when West Ham won 3-2 at the London Stadium, one of two defeats suffered by Liverpool in the league and a loss they will be keen to avenge.

Liverpool also played on Wednesday night in the FA Cup – but played it very differently.

Shattered after Sunday's toils against Chelsea at Wembley, Jurgen Klopp made ten changes against Norwich and was doubly rewarded with a 2-1 win and key men getting a rest.

Klopp's only real headache going into this game is a nice one to have – which of Diaz, Jota and Mane get the two slots alongside Mo Salah in, however he decides it, the finest frontline in the division.

Liverpool won't back off and next week's Inter Milan fixture will not be in Klopp's thinking. His side can cut Manchester City's lead at the top to three points as a title fight that didn't look possible a month ago begins to excite. The Reds can extend their unbeaten home record in the league to over a calendar year by winning another entertaining affair.

Key stat

Liverpool have won their last eight home league games by an aggregate score of 26-2

Inside info

Liverpool

Penalty taker Mohamed Salah
Free-kick wizard Trent Alexander-Arnold/Mohamed Salah
Set-piece aerial threat Virgil van Dijk
Card magnet Andrew Robertson

West Ham

Penalty taker Manuel Lanzini/Declan Rice
Free-kick wizard Aaron Cresswell/Manuel Lanzini
Set-piece aerial threat Tomas Soucek/Craig Dawson
Card magnet Declan Rice

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