West Ham United vs. Liverpool: lineups, team news, and predictions
Written by Senior Reporter Ben Knapton
Posted at 14:09 on September 23, 2024
Updated at 14:34 on September 23, 2024.
Liverpool and West Ham United meet in the EFL Cup on Wednesday at Anfield in the third round, as the Reds begin their defense of the 2023–24 championship. This is their second consecutive year of winning the competition.
The two Premier League teams enter the match having split their previous encounter, with the home team easily defeating Bournemouth and Julen Lopetegui’s team losing to London rivals Chelsea 3-0.
Although the elusive quadruple was never accomplished by Jurgen Klopp during his otherwise sparkling tenure as Liverpool’s manager, the German tactician did manage the Reds to win their second EFL Cup in three years and an unprecedented tenth championship overall.
Liverpool kept Mauricio Pochettino waiting for his first English football trophy when Virgil van Dijk’s header in extra time against Chelsea won the 2023–24 league. They also became the first team to win the EFL Cup in double digits, an unprecedented feat given their success since the competition’s inception.
With the exception of their shocking home setback to Nottingham Forest two weekends ago, which they have since skillfully handled, the Merseyside giants have easily adjusted to life under new boss Slot as they begin their drive for crown number 11.
Following their most recent thrilling victory over AC Milan in the Champions League, the Reds momentarily overtook their rivals in the Premier League standings after overwhelming Bournemouth three goals to one. Luis Diaz continued his scorching form with a brace before Darwin Nunez curled home a magnificent third.
Longtime title rivals Manchester City have since dethroned Liverpool from their apex, but it has been six years since their last EFL Cup elimination in the third round, and they haven’t lost at Anfield in the competition since October 2020, when Arsenal defeated them on penalties in a private match.
The visiting West Ham crowd may be forgiven for heading to Anfield in more hope than expectation, although the former may also be in limited supply in the Irons’ ranks, as Lopetegui’s timid men were the talk of the top flight for the wrong reasons at the weekend.
On Saturday afternoon, Chelsea found it far too simple to open up shop against their London rivals. Nicolas Jackson skillfully converted two chances in the first half before setting up Cole Palmer. To compound the misery, Mohammed Kudus’s reaction was ruled offside.
Whatever the former manager of Sevilla, Real Madrid, and Spain has attempted to achieve so far has not been very successful at the London Stadium, as West Ham now occupies an unremarkable 14th place in the top flight standings after winning just one of their first five games of the 2024–25 season.
But the Irons did manage to win the EFL Cup again in August, defeating Bournemouth with a goal from Jarrod Bowen in the 88th minute. Notably, West Ham had defeated Arsenal in the fourth round of the previous season prior to their crushing at Anfield.
In fact, Liverpool easily defeated the Hammers 5-1 in the 2023–24 quarterfinals, but West Ham did atone in part for that humiliation by tying the Reds 2-2 at home in April, snapping a five-game losing streak on a day when Klopp and Mohamed Salah’s on-field altercation took center stage.
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Bradley, Gomez, Quansah, Tsimikas; Endo, Morton; Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo; Jota
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Coufal, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Soler, Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio
Liverpool had to manage without Alisson Becker for the win over Bournemouth in addition to long-term absence Harvey Elliott, who is unlikely to recover from a foot fracture before the end of October. The Brazilian worsened a prior muscle issue during the team’s triumph over Milan last week.
Caoimhin Kelleher was always going to start in goal for the EFL Cup and earned his keep over the weekend with a pair of vital second-half saves to maintain the hosts’ clean sheet. Alisson’s availability for Wednesday’s match is still unknown.
