There are just 11 games left in the 2017/18 Premier League season and there’s plenty on the line for every team in the league. West Ham travel north to face Liverpool at Anfield this weekend with both sides fighting for different aspirations. The Reds are battling at the top end of the table looking for Champions League qualification while the Hammers are trying to get away from the relegation dogfight at the bottom. The hosts are 3^rd in the table with West Ham in 12^th.

STATS

• Liverpool have been electric going forward this season, especially since the turn of the year. They are just two points behind 2^nd-placed Manchester United and have a real chance of catching them especially with United facing Chelsea on Sunday afternoon. They were fantastic in their last game as they destroyed Porto 5-0 away from home in the Champions League in midweek after they beat Southampton 2-0 at St Mary’s.
• West Ham were in a dodgy position and this forced them to appoint David Moyes earlier in the season and now, with six teams separating them from the relegation zone, they are in a position that is considerably better. They beat Watford 2-0 in their last match, increasing the gap between them and the bottom three to four points.
• Mohamed Salah is in scintillating form this term and with 22 goals, only Harry Kane has more Premier League goals than the Egyptian. He has been involved in more goals than any other top-flight player (22 goals and seven assists).
• Marko Arnautovic has been in great form recently and after a slow start to life in East London, he’s now their leading league scorer with seven goals. Javier Hernandez is close behind with six.

HEAD TO HEAD

It is very hard to split Liverpool and West Ham in their recent league meetings as both teams have won two in the las five, with a draw in between. The Reds have won the last two, scoring eight in the process while the Hammers won the two previous league games with five goals across the two. When the sides faced off at the London Stadium in November, the hosts were taken apart by a Liverpool side led by Salah, who got two goals either side of Joel Matip, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Manuel Lanzini’s goals making it 4-1.

LIVERPOOL NEWS

As mentioned, Liverpool will move into 2^nd with a win as Man United on Sunday. They are almost at full strength as it is just Nathaniel Clyne who is injured with a back problem, he won’t return.

Latest matches: Liverpool FC

14.02.2018	UEFA	FC Porto	Liverpool FC	0:5	W
11.02.2018	Prem	Southampton FC	Liverpool FC	0:2	W
04.02.2018	Prem	Liverpool FC	Tottenham Hotspur	2:2	D
30.01.2018	Prem	Huddersfield Town	Liverpool FC	0:3	W
27.01.2018	FA C	Liverpool FC	West Bromwich Albion	2:3	L

WEST HAM NEWS

West Ham can break into the top half with three points but can also be dragged further towards the drop zone with a loss. They will be without Pedro Obiang and Andy Carroll while Lanzini and Winston Reid are both in contention to return to the squad.

Latest matches: West Ham United

10.02.2018	Prem	West Ham United	Watford FC	2:0	W
03.02.2018	Prem	Brighton & Hove Albion FC	West Ham United	3:1	L
30.01.2018	Prem	West Ham United	Crystal Palace	1:1	D
27.01.2018	FA C	Wigan Athletic	West Ham United	2:0	L
20.01.2018	Prem	West Ham United	Bournemouth AFC	1:1	D

SUMMARY

In the form they’re in, it’s hard to see past a Liverpool win especially at Anfield. They are up against a West Ham side who have struggled on the road this season but haven’t got a bad record in trips to Merseyside. This one certainly has a home win written all over it but Jurgen Klopp’s men must ensure they don’t become complacent.