Liverpool Set to Shake Up Squad Against West Ham After European Disaster
Liverpool aim to halt their decline when they visit West Ham United this weekend, following nine losses in their last 12 fixtures across all competitions.
The Merseyside club reached a new nadir on Wednesday evening as they were comprehensively beaten at home by PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch side secured a commanding 4–1 victory, delivering one of Liverpool's most crushing Anfield defeats in recent memory.
Liverpool crumbled spectacularly for the third consecutive match, and the mounting pressure on Arne Slot has reached critical levels as he desperately hopes for a positive reaction from his struggling players on Sunday afternoon.
The Dutch coach is anticipated to make alterations following the midweek humiliation, though his options for promoting players into the starting eleven remain limited. Nevertheless, several necessary changes are expected.
Here is how Liverpool might set up against the Hammers.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. West Ham (4-2-3-1)
GK: Alisson—Alisson made his comeback from injury just before the 3–0 loss to Nottingham Forest, but was absent for an even worse collapse midweek due to sickness. The exceptional Brazilian goalkeeper will demand better from his defensive colleagues upon his return.
RB: Joe Gomez—Slot has indicated that Gomez is "near" to featuring in significant minutes during Liverpool's right-back crisis. Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong continue to be unavailable, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones offer greater value in central areas.
CB: Ibrahima Konaté—Real Madrid have allegedly withdrawn their pursuit of Konaté, and the French defender has little reason to protest after months of subpar displays. He committed another significant error midweek that led directly to a goal.
CB: Virgil van Dijk—Van Dijk has addressed the press during Liverpool's terrible run, but now the Dutch captain must demonstrate his quality on the field. His performances have fallen short of expectations this campaign as questions about his decline surface.
LB: Andy Robertson—Milos Kerkez lacks the required standard—at least for now. The summer acquisition delivered another woeful performance against PSV and can no longer be accommodated, leading to Robertson's recall.
DM: Ryan Gravenberch—Liverpool's failure to acquire another holding midfielder during the transfer window is proving costly, placing additional burden on Gravenberch's capabilities. The Dutch player appears increasingly fatigued.
DM: Alexis Mac Allister—The Reds continue to wait for the return of the Mac Allister they've grown familiar with in previous campaigns. The Argentine's inconsistent season persists, though Slot lacks alternative midfield choices.
RW: Mohamed Salah—Another ineffective midweek performance from Salah heightens the scrutiny, with the Egyptian appearing more like a spectator in this Liverpool side. Both in possession and without the ball, his contributions have been insufficient.
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai—Among perhaps two or three players who can maintain their dignity during this chaos, Szoboszlai again emerged as Liverpool's brightest performer against PSV. If only Slot possessed several more players of the Hungarian's caliber.
LW: Cody Gakpo—Gakpo's form has been extremely inconsistent this season. During his better moments, he offers genuine danger along the left wing, but when circumstances deteriorate, he frequently disappears. He'll be anxiously aware of the competition from Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha.
ST: Alexander Isak—Hugo Ekitiké sustained an injury midweek and although he's not anticipated to be sidelined extensively, his availability for Sunday remains questionable. This creates another opportunity for Isak, who urgently needs to display even a fraction of his previous quality.
