Liverpool head to West Ham for their final game of 2024 on Sunday, as they look to end a year of huge change in style.
West Ham vs. Liverpool
Premier League (18) | London Stadium
December 29, 2024 | 5.15pm (GMT)
The Reds picked up three more points on Boxing Day, following a 3-1 victory at home to Leicester.
Next up for Liverpool is Sunday’s trip to the London Stadium, as they take on an unpredictable West Ham side.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game.
1. No new injuries for Liverpool
Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate are still missing for Liverpool, but they are the only injury absentees.
Bradley continues to nurse a hamstring issue, while Konate has a knee problem, and Slot has not yet ruled out either marking a return against Man United on January 5.
Otherwise, Arne Slot has an almost full squad to choose from.
2. No Szoboszlai in east London
There may be no fresh injuries for Slot to worry about this weekend, but he will be without Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Hungarian picked up a yellow card against Leicester soon after coming on, which was his fifth booking of the season in the league.
That means Szoboszlai has to sit out a game he would have started to serve a one-match ban.
Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez, meanwhile, are still a booking away from a one-match suspension.
3. West Ham turning the corner?
It would be an overreaction to say that West Ham are flying currently, but they have turned a corner under Julen Lopetegui.
The Spaniard was under huge pressure earlier in the campaign, but his Hammers side are now unbeaten in their last four games.
There have been two wins and draws apiece in that time, including a 1-0 victory away to Southampton on Boxing Day.
West Ham sit 13th in the table and one point ahead of Man United (funny!).
4. Possible Liverpool XI
The majority of Liverpool’s team picks itself unless Slot surprises us all with some rogue selections.
Kostas Tsimikas could come in for Andy Robertson, giving the Scot a breather, but the rest of the defence should stay the same.
With Szoboszlai suspended, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones will likely make up the midfield again.
In attack, Mohamed Salah is a certainty to start, while Cody Gakpo should keep his place and Luis Diaz has a good chance of returning to lead the line.
Possible Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz
5. Who’s missing for West Ham?
West Ham have a number of absentees heading into the weekend, not least Michail Antonio, who continues to recover from a car crash. We wish him well.
Lukasz Fabianski is out after suffering a nasty head injury against Southampton, and Max Kilman and Carlos Soler are missing, too.
Lucas Paqueta is back after suspension, but midfield pair Guido Rodriguez and Tomas Soucek miss out for that reason.
It is a West Ham squad that feels down to the bare bones, with Lopetegui saying, “it’s a time to highlight the word ‘team’ with capital letters because we have a lot of problems.”
Possible West Ham XI: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Emerson; Alvarez; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus, Summerville; Fullkrug
6. Slot loving pressure of Liverpool job
Speaking to the media on Friday, Slot said he welcomes the pressure of being Liverpool’s head coach, accepting that he signed up for that:
“You’re sitting in front of the Liverpool manager, so there is always pressure at this club.
“If we are one, two, three, four or five in the table, if you work at a big club like Liverpool, there is always pressure.
“It’s not so strange for a club like us to be top of the league but we know how many good teams there are in this league and they are able to win almost every game as well.
“So there’s no extra pressure, there is always pressure if you work at a club like Liverpool.”
7. Liverpool’s record at London Stadium
Liverpool have largely fared well at the London Stadium, with their first game there a 4-0 win in the league back in 2017.
It was a vital three points for Jurgen Klopp‘s side, with Philippe Coutinho‘s brace edging the Reds closer to a top-four finish.
Later that year, Liverpool won 4-0 in east London, with Salah at the double, and they have won three other times there.
The only defeat was a 3-2 loss back in November 2021, while last season, the two sides shared a 2-2 draw as the Reds’ title challenge fizzled out.
8. Did You Know?
Should Jarrod Bowen score on Sunday, he would become the first West Ham player to score in three successive league meetings against Liverpool since Vic Watson in 1930.
The 28-year-old also netted the 100th league goal of his career in the Boxing Day win at Southampton.
Bowen has started every Premier League game this season and is the West Ham player Liverpool need to worry about the most.
He has nine goal contributions (five goals, four assists) in 18 league outings in 2024/25.
9. Taylor takes charge
Anthony Taylor has been confirmed as the referee on Sunday – he may actually be the best of a bad bunch of officials!
This is already his fourth Liverpool game of the season, having overseen the 3-0 and 2-1 wins at Man United and Wolves, respectively.
Taylor also took charge of the 2-2 draw away to Arsenal in October.
Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn are his assistant referees, Steven Martin is fourth official and Darren England is on VAR.
10. Follow the match with TIA
West Ham vs. Liverpool is live on Sky Sports Main Event from 4.15pm (GMT) and kickoff is at 5.15pm.
This Is Anfield’s matchday live blog will kick into gear from 4.30pm, with Harry McMullen guiding you through the action.
Come on you Reds!
