It’s Premier League match time at Anfield as Liverpool prepare to host West Ham United on Matchday 14 on Saturday 20 November.
This is a must win game for both teams. Liverpool had a four-game winning streak snapped last week when they lost 2-0 to Stoke City. A defensive lapse saw Stoke score their first goal from a long ball.
In fairness to the Merseysiders, the Potters’ second goal was the result of Kyrgiakos using an attacking role in pursuit of an equaliser, leaving them vulnerable to a counter-attack that ended in a Kenwyne Jones strike from a Jermaine pass. Pennant.
Save for Reina between the posts, few players (Lucas, Gerrard and Torres) resisted being counted out on a day when Stoke overwhelmed the Reds with their energy to forge their first league victory against the Anfield side in 26 years.
West Ham have remained at the bottom of the heap for 13 match weeks and manager Avram Grant’s job is on the line with wins still elusive. The Hammers drew goalless against Blackpool at home last week, an indication of their inability to score wins against weaker sides to make up for poor results against stronger ones.
In the West Ham game, apart from Scott Parker, who excelled in midfield, and Green, efficient as ever between the posts, only Noble was up to the task; others like Pablo Barrera were so poor as to raise doubts about their presence in the top flight.
The Upton Park team needs to do things very differently to turn things around with two-thirds of the season to go, and Grant’s departure could very well be one of those things.
Ahead of the match, the recurrence of Kuyt’s ankle problem in the Stoke game is a concern for Hodgson, while the Liverpool manager will welcome the return of Fabio Aureles following a groin injury and Achilles tendon problems. that have left the Brazilian sidelined since August.
Kuyt was sidelined for a month with ankle ligament injuries; the Stoke game was only their third after their return to Premier League action. Liverpool will not be able to count on Lucas either, with a red card in the match against Stoke.
Liverpool’s starting eleven against Stoke consisted of Reina, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Konchesky, Meireles, Lucas, Gerrard, Maxi, Torres and Kuyt; Roy Hodgson also used Ngog and Babel as backups.
The following men formed West Ham’s starting eleven against Blackpool: Green, Jacobsen, Upson, Gabbidon, Ilunga, Boa Morte, Noble, Parker, Dyer, Obinna and Piquionne; Barrera, Cole and McCarthy were listed as alternates.
