Liverpool vs. West Ham: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Liverpool are searching for their fourth consecutive victory and clean sheet when they host relegation candidates West Ham United on Merseyside this Saturday.

The Reds have boosted their push for Champions League qualification with back-to-back 1–0 Premier League wins on the road against Sunderland and Nottingham Forest—their 3–0 triumph over Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup fourth round sandwiched in between.

Liverpool are now level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea heading into the weekend and will be eager to continue their positive run of results by doing the double over the Hammers. Performances have been inconsistent but the final outcome of Saturday’s match is all that matters as Arne Slot’s side pursue re-entry into Europe’s premier competition.

An awkward, resurgent and highly motivated West Ham team stand in their path, Nuno Espírito Santo’s men fighting to beat the drop. They have won three and drawn two of their last six in the league and a surprise victory at Anfield would lift them out of the bottom three before Sunday’s action.

Liverpool vs. West Ham Score Prediction

Reds to Continue Winning Streak

Alexis Mac Allister was Liverpool’s hero last weekend. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Liverpool are still operating miles below the standards they set last season but an upturn in results over recent weeks has boosted morale on Merseyside. With a top-five finish likely to be enough for Champions League qualification, the Reds have put themselves in a promising position heading into the final third of the campaign despite their general underperformance.

West Ham have shown signs of life in recent weeks as they scrap for safety and Liverpool’s inconsistencies mean dreams of a point or more are not entirely far-fetched. Still, the Hammers will struggle to keep a star-studded forward line at bay, especially behind enemy lines.

Head-to-head record: Liverpool’s terrific record in this fixture adds to their status as favorites. The Reds won the reverse fixture 2–0 amid a period of poor form and have claimed victory in 13 of their last 15 games against Saturday’s opponents.
Defensive improvements: While Liverpool’s backline remains unconvincing on occasion, they have now managed three successive shutouts across all competitions. They have the fourth-lowest expected goals against total in the division and should frustrate their goal-shy visitors.
Anfield factor: Liverpool haven’t made their home quite the fortress it was in Slot’s debut campaign, but West Ham’s underwhelming away record adds an extra dynamic to the weekend’s clash. The Irons have won just three times on the road in the Premier League, while Liverpool have won over half of their matches on their own patch.

Prediction: Liverpool 2–1 West Ham

Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. West Ham

Liverpool supporters were left sweating on the fitness of Florian Wirtz, who was injured in the warm-up ahead of the Forest victory, and their fears have been confirmed by Slot. The German playmaker is unavailable for Saturday's match-up and there is no return date pencilled in as things stand.

In better news, Wirtz’s former Bayer Leverkusen clubmate Jeremie Frimpong is available once more after missing the last five games with a groin injury. He appears likely to take up a place on the bench rather than in the XI.

There will be no returns for Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endo and Alexander Isak, all of whom are sidelined with long-term issues.

Liverpool predicted lineup vs. West Ham (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Gomez, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitiké.

West Ham Predicted Lineup vs. Liverpool

West Ham’s fitness issues are minor for their journey north. Łukasz Fabiański is sidelined between the sticks but would not have featured anyway, while winter recruit Pablo Felipe remains a major doubt despite Nuno confirming he’s progressing well.

Freddie Potts is the only other absentee, the midfielder still serving his three-match suspension for violent conduct following his red card in the FA Cup fourth round win over Burton Albion.

Nuno appears unlikely to make many alterations from the team that drew at Bournemouth last time out, potentially naming an identical XI at Anfield.

West Ham predicted lineup vs. Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf; Fernandes, Magassa; Bowen, Souček, Summerville; Castellanos.

What Time Does Liverpool vs. West Ham Kick Off?

Location: Liverpool, England
Stadium: Anfield
Date: Saturday, Feb. 28
Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. GMT / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
Referee: Tim Robinson
VAR: Michael Salisbury

How to Watch Liverpool vs. West Ham on TV, Live Stream

Country	TV Channel/Live Stream
United States	USA Network, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW
United Kingdom	Not televised—audio coverage available on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Merseyside, talkSPORT
Canada	DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network 3 Canada
Mexico	FOX One