Liverpool and West Ham United are set to clash in the EFL Cup for the second consecutive year, this time in the third round at Anfield on Wednesday. The Reds will be kicking off their title defense after a strong performance against Bournemouth over the weekend, while West Ham struggled, suffering a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea.
Jurgen Klopp may not have clinched that elusive quadruple with Liverpool, but he did guide the team to their second EFL Cup victory in three years last season, marking their record 10th title overall.
Liverpool secured this achievement thanks to Virgil van Dijk's extra-time header against Chelsea in the final, denying Mauricio Pochettino his first trophy in England.
As they begin their pursuit of an 11th title, Liverpool, under new manager Slot, have bounced back well from a surprising loss to Nottingham Forest. After a thrilling comeback against AC Milan in the Champions League, they climbed to the top of the Premier League, boosted by a dominant win over Bournemouth, where Luis Diaz shone with two goals and Darwin Nunez added a stunning third.
Despite dropping back down to second after Manchester City’s victory, Liverpool hasn’t been eliminated in the third round of the EFL Cup in six years and hasn’t lost at Anfield in the competition since a penalty shootout defeat to Arsenal in October 2020.
On the other hand, West Ham fans might approach this match with cautious optimism. Their recent performance against Chelsea raised concerns, as they were easily outplayed, with Nicolas Jackson scoring two goals before setting up another for Cole Palmer. With just one win from their first five league matches, West Ham currently sits 14th in the standings.
However, they did find success in the EFL Cup, defeating Bournemouth with an 88th-minute goal from Jarrod Bowen. Last season, they managed to knock out Arsenal in the fourth round before a heavy 5-1 defeat to Liverpool in the quarter-finals.
They did manage to draw 2-2 with Liverpool at home in April, ending a five-game losing streak against the Reds, though that match was also marked by a heated moment between Klopp and Mohamed Salah.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Liverpool will be without long-term absentee Harvey Elliott, who is sidelined with a foot fracture until late October. They also had to manage without Alisson Becker in their recent win over Bournemouth, as he aggravated a muscle injury during the previous week’s match against AC Milan.
It’s still uncertain whether Alisson will be available for Wednesday’s game, but Caoimhin Kelleher is expected to start in goal for the EFL Cup. He made some key saves in the second half against Bournemouth to help keep a clean sheet.
Against West Ham, we should see summer signing Federico Chiesa make his first start for Liverpool, likely taking Mohamed Salah's spot as the Egyptian gets a well-deserved rest. Joe Gomez, who hasn’t played yet in the Premier League this season, is also expected to be included in the revamped lineup.
On the West Ham side, changes are anticipated following their disappointing performance against Chelsea. The only fitness concern for manager Julen Lopetegui is Niclas Fullkrug, who is likely to miss the match again due to a calf injury.
After a poor showing, Lopetegui made a tactical switch by substituting Guido Rodriguez after just 38 minutes on Saturday. As a result, Tomas Soucek should be fit to start.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Bradley, Gomez, Quansah, Tsimikas; Endo, Morton; Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo; Jota
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Coufal, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Soler, Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio
EXPERT PREDICTION
Liverpool 3-1 West Ham United
Both managers are likely to make significant changes, but West Ham’s attacking quartet will still feature some of their biggest threats. This means that Liverpool’s backline, which hasn’t seen much action together this season, could be tested.
That said, the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea may have overstated West Ham's struggles, and with their current form, Slot’s team should have little trouble scoring multiple goals on their way to a comfortable third-round victory.
