Injuries Plague Liverpool`s Trip To Upton Park

West Ham go into their clash with Liverpool tomorrow (20th September) knowing that a successful change in Allardyce`s much-maligned style of play has played a part in the quietening of dissenting voices amongst fans. Last Saturday saw Big Sam`s Hammers bounce back twice to draw 2-2 away from home against Steve Bruce`s Hull City. The result means that the claret and blue side sit in 13th position in the Premier League after achieving a respectable four points from four games.

Liverpool visit the Boleyn Ground on the back of an unconvincing 2-1 home win over group minnows Ludogorets Razgrad in the Champions League, their first appearance in the competition for four years. A late Steven Gerrard penalty saved face for the Reds after Abalos Paulos cancelled out Mario Balotelli`s opening goal. The performance typified Liverpool`s disjointed start to the season, having previously been unsuccessful in taking any points from last week`s home game against Aston Villa. Gabby Agbonlahor`s ninth minute strike from a corner routine being the difference between the two sides. With six points from four, the Anfield club lie in eighth position just ahead of their Merseyside rivals Everton.

In spite of their failure to hit top gear, Liverpool have been installed as the comfortable 17/20 (bet365, Betvictor, paddy Power, william hill, 11/13 - Bwin) favourites to be celebrating a victory come the final whistle tomorrow. Alternatively, both boylesports and Skybet have 3/1 on the match-up finishing a tie whilst a Hammers` home win can be backed at 18/5 with betfair.

Rogers` men will be buoyed by defender Martin Skrtel`s return to the squad, though is he unlikely to displace either of the Reds` current centre-back pairing Mamadou Sakho or Dejan Lovren. Twenty-nine-year-old Skrtel picked up the knee injury responsible for seeing him sit out of three consecutive matches in Liverpool`s comprehensive 3-1 defeat at the hands of champions Manchester City. The game also saw the long-term side-lining of England right-back Glen Johnson who limped off with a thigh injury. With Johnson yet to recover and the `Scouse Cafu` Jon Flanagan undergoing surgery on his knee, young Spaniard Javier Manquillo is set to keep his place in the starting line-up.

Liverpool`s woes continue further up the pitch as the injuring of a number of key players on international duty leaves Rogers with a depleted squad from which to choose. Nine and a half million pound summer signing Emre Can is set to be out for another month after sustaining an injury in Germany Under-21`s 8-0 walloping of Romania in the UEFA Under-21s Championship, whilst star striker Daniel Sturridge and Welshman Joe Allen are also sidelined after coming a-copper when abroad with their respective national sides.

The Hammers are expected to field an unchanged side from the one that battled back against Hull as they too suffer from a lack of options across the field. Neither Andy Carroll (ankle), Matt Jarvis (thigh), Kevin Nolan (shoulder) nor Joey O`Brien (knee) are available for selection, whilst experienced centre-back James Collins is a doubt. The 31-year-old pulled out of Wales` Euro 2016 qualifier against Andorra with a hamstring injury and did not make it off the bench in West Ham`s last game against the aforementioned Humberside club.

New signings Morgan Amalfitano, Carl Jenkinson and Alex Song may make their full debuts after all making an impact when coming off the bench last weekend.

The value bet for West Ham vs. Liverpool comes in the shape of Coral and Skybet who have 16/1 on the two weakened teams cancelling each other out and settling for a goalless draw.

Go To bet365

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19/09/2014     © Frixo 2026