Liverpool have a big game Sunday at the Olympic Stadium, traveling to face West Ham in a battle of two teams in the top-4. Liverpool are currently second in the table with 22 points, three behind Chelsea. West Ham are fourth, with 20 points, just behind third-place Manchester City on goal difference.
The Reds are likely to send out a line-up similar to what they ran out against Atletico Madrid, midweek in the Champions League.
Preview Material
Starting XI Predictions: Liverpool West Ham
Goalkeeper
Alisson kept a clean sheet Wednesday, thanks to a Luis Suarez deflected goal being waved off for being offside. He has five clean sheets in the PL this season, but finds himself one behind Edouard Mendy in the Golden Glove race.
After conceding two against to Brighton in the last league match, a bounce-back performance would be big.
Defense
There could be a couple of changes in the defense. Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold will start, but the other two positions aren’t as straight forward.
Kostas Tsimikas started Wednesday, and played extremely well at left back. Jurgen Klopp praised Andy Robertson as the “best left back in the world,” but Liverpool now have another solid option in Tsimikas.
Klopp may be tempted to see if Tsimikas can produce in back-to-back games. Joel Matip started Wednesday, but hasn’t started the last two league games. Ibrahima Konate started against Manchester United and Brighton, but Matip seems likely to retain his place Sunday.
Midfield
Liverpool only have four healthy first-team midfielders at the moment. Jordan Henderson and Fabinho will start again.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain started on Wednesday and played well, but Sunday could be a chance for Thiago to come in and get 60-minutes or so coming back from injury.
Attack
With Roberto Firmino injured, Liverpool’s front-3 kind of picks itself. Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and Mo Salah are the preferred front-3. Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino need playing time, especially before AFCON, but Sunday doesn’t seem like the right time.
Predicted Starting XI (4-3-3): Alisson, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago, Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and Mo Salah.