West Ham vs Liverpool Preview: Reds in Crisis as Hammers Target Another Big Result

West Ham United welcome Liverpool to the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon for a 14:05 kick-off, with both sides desperate to change the narrative of uneven Premier League campaigns.

Despite their struggles this season, Liverpool have traditionally dominated this fixture. The Reds have lost just one of their last 18 league meetings with the Hammers, winning 14 and drawing three, with that lone defeat coming in a dramatic 3-2 loss in November 2021. In total, Liverpool have recorded 37 Premier League victories over West Ham more than against any other opponent in the competition, alongside Newcastle United. Mohamed Salah has also found this matchup to his liking, scoring 13 times against West Ham in all competitions, making it one of his most productive fixtures in a Liverpool shirt.

However, history offers little comfort for a Liverpool side mired in one of the darkest runs in their modern era. The reigning champions arrive in east London having lost nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions a sequence of defeats not seen at Anfield since the winter of 1953–54. Defensive frailties have been particularly costly, with Liverpool conceding 34 goals across all competitions, more than any other Premier League side this season. They have also suffered three home defeats by a margin of three or more goals, equalling a club record last set in the 1929–30 campaign.

That alarming slide has left Arne Slot under intense pressure, with Liverpool languishing in 12th place and the sense of crisis deepening by the week. Even the comfort of facing West Ham, a side currently 17th, will offer no guarantees given the mood around the club and their recent inability to stem the flow of goals.

While Liverpool falter, West Ham are beginning to show signs of revived belief under Nuno Espírito Santo. The Hammers have taken seven points from their three Premier League matches in November, nearly doubling their return from the opening three months of the season combined. Two wins and a draw have helped ease relegation concerns slightly, and confidence at the London Stadium is also improving. West Ham have won each of their last two home league games after failing to claim victory in the previous nine.

The hosts will be wary of the quality Liverpool still possess, but they will also be encouraged by their opponents’ vulnerability. Historically, West Ham have struggled badly against reigning champions, losing 13 of their last 15 league encounters against title holders, although current form suggests a more balanced contest than league positions alone might imply.

Team News:

Liverpool are monitoring Hugo Ekitike after he was forced off in the second half against PSV, although initial assessments suggest his back issue is not serious.

Alisson Becker is expected to return after illness, while Florian Wirtz has a chance of featuring despite a recent muscular problem.

Defensively, though, Slot remains stretched, with Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley sidelined by hamstring injuries and Giovanni Leoni ruled out with an ACL issue.

West Ham are boosted by the return of Lucas Paquetá following a one-match suspension.

Dinos Mavropanos and Crysencio Summerville will both be assessed late on, while Lukasz Fabianski and Oliver Scarles continue their recovery away from the pitch.

With Liverpool in free fall and West Ham gaining momentum, Sunday’s meeting feels less like a routine test of old hierarchies and more like a pivotal clash between two sides trying to drag themselves out of troubled waters.