Liverpool FC will welcome West Ham United to Anfield in what is shaping up to be a pivotal match on the Premier League’s title race. A win would move them 13 points clear at the top of the table. That clash will be at Anfield, where the Reds have been impressive this campaign. With a 10-point lead as of today, Liverpool is just a few wins away from claiming their first league championship—ever.
The Reds had previously played West Ham in the third round replays at Merseyside and were victorious with an impressive 5-1 win. Liverpool was in control of both league matches against West Ham earlier this season. They netted a remarkable aggregate haul of 10 goals during that streak. This impressive showing sets them up well to build on that success as they head into this weekend’s marquee match.
Injury Updates and Key Player Contracts
Regardless of their success, Liverpool will be without a number of key players for the second leg. Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold are still unavailable as they recover from injuries. Their absence may affect the team’s defensive strategy. Liverpool has shown resilience in overcoming such challenges throughout the season.
Mohamed Salah’s impact hasn’t been limited to on the pitch, with his new contract dominating headlines. This agreement will add two more years onto his current deal, ensuring he remains at Anfield until 2024! The Egyptian forward’s previous deal was set to expire in June, and his decision to remain at the club underscores his belief in Liverpool’s potential for future success.
“What it might tell you is that it is not only a good season now, we want more next season and Mo is convinced we can do so. So that is positive for us.” – Arne Slot
Manager Arne Slot was happy to hear about Salah’s future intent. He thinks it’s indicative of the club’s desire to achieve more trophy success going forward. As Klopp recently said of retaining superstar talents such as Salah – and, by extension, success itself – that it was “key to the club’s momentum.”
Liverpool’s Historic Edge Over West Ham
Historically, Liverpool has had an easy time against the aerialists from East London. In all of their 152 games, the Reds have easily played the best winning 83 games, proving their consistent dominance through the years. The two teams would not meet in league play until 1923. Liverpool came out on top, going home happy with a 2-0 victory on their own turf.
In December’s reversal of the fixture, Liverpool extended their winning streak to five games with a commanding 5-0 victory in London. Matches like these demonstrate the best of Liverpool’s when they hit their stride, when they’re in command at key stages in big matches.
Managerial Strategy and Player Mentality
As Liverpool approaches this pivotal match, Slot is focused on securing the long-term futures of key defenders, including Virgil van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold. By tying down these essential players, Slot aims to bolster the squad and ensure a strong finish to the current season.
Slot credited Salah for the remarkable mental fortitude he showed. He drew attention to Salah’s effect on scoring goals in high leverage situations when Salah is performing poorly.
“Salah can score goals if he is not in the best half hour or 15 minutes, and that is why he is mentally so strong. He has to be strong mentally, and apart from the other things, that is probably what stands out for me.” – Arne Slot
This quality haunts opposition defenders and crucially provides leadership to Salah’s teammates on the field.
Slot admitted that keeping hold of prized assets such as Salah communicates to potential recruits that there’s real ambition at the club for the future.
“If you want to sign players or keep players, it is always a positive one of our star players has made the choice to extend.” – Arne Slot
