Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes this weekend’s Premier League rivals West Ham United have made a ‘super’ £30 million signing in former Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse.
With eight goal contributions in his first six games for West Ham United, has any Premier League newcomer made a more immediate impact for his new employers?
The Hammers have always carried a set-piece threat during David Moyes’ second spell in charge of the London Stadium but James Ward-Prowse has only amped that up to another level, two typically wicked deliveries setting up Tomas Soucek and debutant Mohammed Kudus in Thursday’s comeback victory over TSK Backa Topola in the Europa League group-stages.
James Ward-Prowse in form of his life for West Ham
“So many extremely strong opponents, and West Ham are one of them,” Klopp tells the BBC ahead of Sunday’s 2pm kick-off at Anfield.
“It’s a really exciting project, and I am really happy for David (Moyes). Even with Declan Rice out they look really good. Ward-Prowse was a super signing.”
Fortunately for Klopp, defending free-kicks and corners is Liverpool’s forte. No team in the Premier League conceded fewer from dead-ball situations last term; the height of Virgil van Dijk and co potentially the kryptonite to West Ham’s set-piece superman.
The England international, however, is not the only threat in West Ham’s ranks. Kudus marked first start with a header in a livewire display on Thursday night and, in Lucas Paqueta, Moyes also has a Brazilian playmaker so technical and talented that Manchester City were encouraged to make an £80 million bid for him over the summer.
Jurgen Klopp wary of West Ham threat
“Paqueta is not a new signing (like Ward-Prowse),” Klopp adds. “But he is a super player.”
There are only three points and three places separating Liverpool and West Ham in the early Premier League table; The Reds winning four from five games and the Hammers only suffering their first defeat against Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions last time out.
A game in which Ward-Prowse found the net with a super header.
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