Liverpool are looking to go on a positive run after their impressive win over Tottenham
Nathaniel Phillips will start for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp names a makeshift defence for the trip to face West Ham.
Klopp’s men won all three meetings between the sides in 2020, with their most recent meeting ending in a 2-1 win at Anfield in October.
Pablo Fornals gave the visitors a shock lead on that occasion, before Mo Salah levelled from the spot shortly before half-time and Diogo Jota scored the winner with five minutes remaining.
Fabinho misses out again, while Jota, Naby Keita, Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk remain on the sidelines.
Sadio Mane drops out of today’s squad entirely due to a minor muscle injury, while Roberto Firmino is named on the bench.
Joel Matip is the latest victim of Liverpool’s injury crisis, and his absence means Phillips will join captain Jordan Henderson in the heart of their defence.
Elsewhere, it’s Alisson in goal with Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the flanks.
Thiago keeps his place in midfield alongside James Milder and Gigi Wijnaldum, while the front three consists of Xherdan Shaqiri, Divock Origi and Salah.
STARTING XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Phillips, Robertson; Thiago, Wijnaldum, Milner; Salah, Shaqiri, Origi
SUBS: Adrian, Kelleher, Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Minamino, R. Williams, N. Williams
After a disappointing run of results, Liverpool got back on track in midweek with an excellent 3-1 win over Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham.
They will need to maintain that form to succeed against David Moyes’ West Ham side, who sit just two points behind the Reds in fifth.
Speaking on the official Liverpool website about the Hammers’ push for a Champions League place, Klopp said: “Great to see something like this is possible. Just obviously a clear idea (that) David Moyes always had.
“They have brought in the right players, I think everybody’s really impressed about the goal threat of (Tomáš) Soucek, that’s incredible. (Michail) Antonio is back. It’s just settled now.
“It obviously took a little bit (of time), that’s normal as well, and last year they really had to fight hard for staying in the league but now they are longer together and it works out.
“I am really pleased for David, to be honest, because (he had) such a long and successful spell at Everton and then from that moment on maybe the timing was a little bit tricky with Manchester United and then with all the other clubs it was just like, ‘Is it the right moment?’.
“You have to go there and you have to fix it immediately. And now he got the time and he shows again his capability of building successful teams. So we will face them, that’s clear.
“The position in the table is obviously one thing but being third or fourth or whatever in late January is now not exactly what is the most important thing, there are other moments when it is much more important where you stand but of course we didn’t start fighting last night (against Tottenham).
“We fought a lot in the other games as well but last night was a really important game for us with important aspects and that’s the plan – to bring this again on the pitch on Sunday.”
Today’s match kicks off at 4.30pm.
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