How Liverpool could line up against West Ham United

By Barney Corkhill | 29 Jan 2021 16:32, Last updated: 04 Jun 2025 23:30

Liverpool travel to West Ham United on Sunday looking to make it two victories in the capital in the space of three days.

The champions scored their first goals and picked up their first league win of the year with a 3-1 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night, ending a run of five games without a victory and four games without a goal.

However, in West Ham they face one of the Premier League's form teams, with the Hammers having won all six of their outings across all competitions in 2021 to lift them up to fifth in the table, only two points adrift of the Reds.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Jurgen Klopp could set his side up for the contest.

Out: Fabinho (muscle), Diogo Jota (knee), Naby Keita (muscle), Joe Gomez (knee), Virgil van Dijk (knee) Doubtful: Joel Matip (ankle) > Click here for Liverpool's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match Not for the first time this season, Liverpool's main question marks come in defence with their endless centre-back woes deepening during the win against Spurs. Fabinho missed that game due to a minor muscle problem and has also been ruled out of Sunday's trip to West Ham, while Joel Matip is almost certain to be absent too. Klopp offered hope in his pre-match press conference that Matip's latest setback is not as serious as he first feared when he revealed ligament damage after Thursday's game, but the suggestion that Liverpool could dip into the transfer market after all hints that Matip may still face some time on the sidelines. All of that leaves Klopp being forced to use captain Jordan Henderson as an auxiliary centre-back once again, while Nat Phillips appears more likely than Rhys Williams to partner him at the back following an impressive showing off the bench at Spurs. Curtis Jones is pushing for a recall in midfield in place of James Milner, while Xherdan Shaqiri and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will also be hopeful of a chance should Klopp look to keep his squad fresh. The front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane are all expected to start again, with the latter two getting on the scoresheet during Thursday's win. Salah's Premier League drought now stands at six games, but he remains the league's leading scorer and has netted seven goals in his last seven top-flight appearances against the Hammers.