Prediction
Preview
It is entirely likely that Liverpool will claim their 20th top division title by the end of the season but their defeat to Fulham last week will have put just the slightest of doubts in the minds of some. It is not just the loss though but rather their dramatic drop in performance level over the last month which has also seen them ousted from the Champions League, defeated in the Carabao Cup final and barely scrape by Everton. That makes this match against West Ham a big one for them to restate their case for being champions.
Arsenal have helped Liverpool’s position along by not exactly being dominant themselves, perhaps due to their continued presence in the Champions League as well, but Liverpool will want this over with as soon as possible. Firstly, they need their talisman, Mo Salah, to come back in to a bit of form. Excluding two penalties against Southampton, Salah only has one assist to his name since Liverpool beat Manchester City on February 23rd. This is a startling drop off in output considering the level that he was playing at and he has certainly not been aided by injuries to Liverpool’s two right backs as this has left him more isolated.
Another worry for Arne Slot will be how precarious Liverpool’s defence has looked. Against Fulham, all three goals could have been avoided and mistakes by Robertson and Van Dijk directly led to two of them. Even against Everton where Liverpool kept a clean sheet they were fortunate with offside decisions and profligate finishing. This will certainly need to improve for them in the run in.
Perhaps fortunately for them, they come up against a West Ham side who are struggling for any sort of form themselves. Graham Potter took over following the sacking of Julen Lopetegui but his record is not great with only 3 wins in 11 games. The club are sitting in 16th position and are lacking a clear identity. It is currently debatable whether Potter will be the man that is entrusted with a rebuild in the summer.
A mass clear out and a new start is what seems needed but fans aren’t convinced by the new manager. Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek have been fairly consistent as ever but even their heads may be turned if they don’t like what they see as the direction for the future. Although they won’t be relegated this season, there is a real worry about next year if things don’t improve.
Goals have been a big problem for the Hammers. They have only won 3 games from 12 in the league since the start of 2025 and have only scored 12 goals in the process. Seeing as 5 of them came in two games you can see where the problem is. The signings of Nicolas Fullkrug and Evan Ferguson have not paid off as they would have wished and their over-reliance on Bowen is telling. He will be the man they will be looking to once again in this match to help them.
Verdict
Backing Liverpool
Despite this being a huge game for Liverpool in terms getting a result and finding some form, the algorithm makes them clear favourites with a 78% chance of victory. Their opponents are given only a 6% likelihood of winning.
Of course, the numbers don’t take factors such as pressure and emotions into account but you would still feel that, with the crowd behind them, Liverpool would have enough to win here.
