Premier League table-toppers Liverpool are playing out their game in hand over the rest of the league on Wednesday night as they get set to take on David Moyes’ struggling West Ham United at the London Stadium. A win against the Hammers would take Liverpool a whopping 19 points clear of Manchester City in second place and effectively seal the title win before the end of January.
West Ham United, on the other hand, find themselves in a downward spiral that has carried them all the way to 17th place despite the massive wealth of players they acquired over the last couple of seasons. They are out of the relegation zone only by virtue of a better goal difference, and losing by more than three could push them into the drop zone at the end of the night. Coming into this having lost to West Brom in the cup is bad enough, but having to play the game in hand against the champions-elect must be the ultimate nightmare for David Moyes.
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Two of the Hammers’ most potent creative threats in Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson are both recovering from long-term injuries that could see them return towards the end of February. Jack Wilshere is also in a similar situation and isn’t expected back until later next month.
Also, back-line stalwarts Ryan Fredricks and Lukasz Fabianski are both unavailable for selection, while Robert Snodgrass and Arthur Masuaku are doubts for this tie against the European champions.
3-4-3 West Ham United Predicted Lineup Vs Liverpool
Formation: 3-4-3
Defence
With Lukasz Fabianski out until later in the season, the responsibility of guarding the sticks has fallen into the hands of Darren Randolph. In front of him, expect to see the familiar faces of Issa Diop, Fabian Balbuena and Angelo Ogbonna returning to the form the back three. The Italian defender was left out of the starting lineup against West Brom on the weekend, and he should be set to regain his place in the heart of the defence.
Midfield
Pablo Zabaleta and Aaron Cresswell will be tasked with the wing-back roles, and they will be required to have an impact on either end of the pitch. The Argentine veteran will be given a tough time by the pace and intensity of players like Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino and could be in for a tough night on Wednesday. English midfield duo Mark Noble and Declan Rice are set to operate as the double pivot in the middle of the park, responsible for bringing the attacking players into the game whenever the Hammers pick up possession.
Attack
Pablo Fornals started the fixture against the Baggies but didn’t offer nearly enough attacking threat. Despite this, the injury to Robert Snodgrass could keep the veteran Premier League star out of the side, making room for the former Villarreal man. Alongside him, expect to see Manuel Lanzini operating out an attacking midfielder’s role, with French striker Sebastian Haller set to lead the line against a dominant Liverpool side.
