West Ham v Liverpool: Premier League Leaders Head to London | OneFootball

West Ham v Liverpool – Premier League Preview

Date – 29th December 2024

Venue – London Stadium

Kick-off – 17.15

After an eventful and foggy Boxing Day victory on Merseyside, attention now shifts from Leicester to London, where West Ham will host the current Premier League leaders, Liverpool. Arne Slot has demonstrated a meticulous approach to analysing his opponents’ tactics, making this trip to the London Stadium another fascinating contest in the visiting clubs’ pursuit of ultimate glory.

West Ham Availability

West Ham will be without the suspended duo of Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodriguez, who each received their fifth yellow card of the season in their last match. In terms of injuries, Lukasz Fabianski and Michail Antonio are ruled out, while Maximilian Kilman and Carlos Soler are facing late fitness tests before kickoff; both have a slim chance of making the matchday squad. Regarding recent form, the East London side won 1-0 at Southampton following a 1-1 home draw with Brighton and another 1-1 draw away from home. After 18 matches played in the Premier League, the Hammers currently sit 13th in the standings with a moderate 23 points.

Here is a predicted lineup for the hosts in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Given the uncertainty surrounding Maximilian Kilman and Carlos Soler Barragan, the following lineup reflects a potential starting eleven that does not include the injured players:

– GK: Alphonse Areola

– RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka

– RCB: Konstantinos Mavropanos

– LCB: Jean-Clair Todibo

– LB: Emerson Palmieri

– CM: Edson Álvarez

– ACM: Mohammed Kudus

– CM: Andy Irving

– RW: Jarrod Bowen

– CF: Niclas Füllkrug

– LW: Crysencio Summerville

Liverpool Availability

Liverpool will be missing Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konaté, who are both close to returning to first-team training. The Reds’ recent league form has been impressive, as they secured a 3-1 win at home against Leicester, following a 6-3 victory over Spurs and a 2-2 draw at home against Fulham. With 17 games played, Liverpool currently leads the Premier League standings with an impressive total of 42 points.

Here’s the lineup I expect Arne Slot to field for this Super Sunday encounter. The team will need some rotation to manage both form and fatigue after Thursday’s win over Leicester. Initially, I thought that Colombian forward Luis Díaz would take on a key role as a false nine; however, personal issues have once again affected the former Porto player, leading me to exclude him from my starting lineup.

– GK: Alisson Becker

– RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold

– RCB: Joe Gomez

– LCB: Virgil van Dijk (c)

– LB: Kostas Tsimikas

– CM: Alexis Mac Allister

– ACM: Curtis Jones

– CM: Ryan Gravenberch

– RF: Mohamed Salah

– CF: Diogo Jota

– LF: Cody Gakpo

How Will This Contest Play Out?

Liverpool is expected to start fast and with dangerous intent, as catching West Ham early will be crucial to how the game unfolds. The attacking depth of the visitors should prove too much for the hosts, who will rely on the individual brilliance of Jarrod Bowen or Mohammed Kudus to make an impact. A low scoring game should be won by the visitors, with Diogo Jota proving the difference.

Player to Watch: Diogo Jota

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction:

West Ham 1 – 2 Liverpool