West Ham v Liverpool predictions: Confident rivals could blast out of the blocks

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for West Ham v Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 4.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Over 1.5 first-half goals
2pts 6-5 general

Team news

West Ham
Alex Kral is the only injury doubt for the Hammers. Vladimir Coufal is fit again but Ben Johnson should keep his place at right-back.

Liverpool
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be assessed but Roberto Firmino (hamstring) is out along with James Milner, Naby Keita and Harvey Elliott. Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones could return to the squad.

Match preview

West Ham and Liverpool both secured their places in the knockout stages of their respective European competitions this week and the in-form pair look set for a cracking Premier League clash at the London Stadium.

The Hammers' 2-2 draw away to Genk sealed their progress to the last 32 of the Europa League in the 1,000th match of David Moyes's managerial career.

West Ham v Liverpool bet builder

The former Everton and Manchester United boss has enjoyed a purple patch in east London since the start of last season, guiding West Ham to a sixth-placed finish in 2020-21 and their form at the start of this term suggests that was no fluke.

Moyes's men kicked off the weekend in fourth place in the table, just two points behind Liverpool after winning four of their last five matches.

Their most recent victory was a 4-1 success at Aston Villa, where they led 2-1 at half-time, and punters should expect another exciting first 45 minutes against Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp's side have exploded out of the traps in recent weeks, scoring in the eighth minute of their 5-0 win at Watford and establishing a 2-0 lead inside 13 minutes away to Atletico Madrid.

Antoine Griezmann's brace made it 2-2 at the break in Madrid before Mohamed Salah's second-half winner and Salah then scored a hat-trick as the Reds roared into a 5-0 lead in the first 50 minutes at Manchester United.

A similar scoreline looked on the cards in last weekend's home fixture against Brighton as Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane scored in the fourth and 24th minutes, but the Seagulls battled back to earn an unlikely point at Anfield.

And on Wednesday early goals from Diogo Jota and Mane set Liverpool on the path to a 2-0 home win over Atletico that sealed their progress to the Champions League last 16.

The rampant Reds have scored 32 goals in their last ten away league matches, including 19 in five this term, and with Salah in sensational form they are unlikely to take a backward step at West Ham.

However, the Hammers also know they have the tools to unsettle visiting defences, scoring nine goals in five home league games this season and notching nine times in the first half of their final six matches at the London Stadium in 2020-21.

West Ham's most recent home game was a tense London derby against Tottenham, settled by a 72nd-minute goal from striker Michail Antonio, but a more open contest is anticipated against Liverpool.

The Reds look short enough in the match betting against a home side whose only defeats in the league came against Manchester United, when Mark Noble missed an injury-time penalty, and Brentford, who scored a 94th-minute winner, but odds-against quotes about over 1.5 first-half goals are worth snapping up.

Key stat

Liverpool have scored eight goals in the first 25 minutes across their last eight matches.

Inside info

West Ham

Penalty taker Michail Antonio/Mark Noble
Free-kick wizardAaron Cresswell
Set-piece aerial threatTomas Soucek
Card magnetTomas Soucek

Liverpool

Penalty taker Mohamed Salah
Free-kick wizard Trent Alexander-Arnold
Set-piece aerial threat Virgil van Dijk
Card magnet Andrew Robertson

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