Liverpool v West Ham United
Premier League, Anfield, Sunday 24 September 2023, 2pm BST
West Ham United face a quick return to action with a trip to Liverpool in Sunday’s Premier League encounter.
Fresh off a 3-1 win over FK TSC Bačka Topola in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, David Moyes’ Irons get back into domestic football with a sixth league game of the season at Anfield.
The Hammers have won three and drawn one of their Premier League matches so far, with a first defeat of the season coming at home to Manchester City on Sunday.
Liverpool meanwhile have won four of their five league outings this campaign and sit third in the Premier League table, on 13 points.
Tickets…
Our allocation of 2,447 tickets for this fixture sold out to Bondholders and Season Ticket Holders with 22+ Loyalty Points.
Travel…
Travelling by train is the quickest way to reach Liverpool from London, with trains from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street taking around three hours on Sunday morning.
With Sunday’s match at Anfield kicking off at 2pm BST you may prefer to travel to Liverpool the day before, and there are many services available from Euston throughout Saturday and into the evening.
The last scheduled departure from Lime Street back to Euston on Sunday evening is at 8.43pm.
Fans travelling back south on Avanti West Coast services to London on Sunday are advised there will be a reservation boarding system in place at Liverpool Lime Street from 1600 onwards. Anyone without a reservation will be required to join a queuing system as trains are very busy and fans are encouraged to get to the station in good time before their booked departure. There will be a 1728 relief service from Liverpool to London for anyone without a reservation.
From Lime Street, bus service 917 departs from Commutation Row in the City Centre and takes around 15 minutes to reach Anfield. Fans can use the return service from Walton Lane after the match.
From Lime Street, bus service 917 departs from Commutation Row in the City Centre and takes around 15 minutes to reach Anfield. Fans can use the return service from Walton Lane after the match.
Alternatively, from Liverpool City Centre, take the 26 from Liverpool ONE bus station or 17 from Queen Square Bus Station directly to the ground.
If driving, there are paid parking options within walking distance of Anfield at St Domingo Car Park, Prior Road and The Dockers Club. The quickest route from London is to take the M6 up to Warrington, and then join the M62 westbound into Liverpool.
How To Follow…
Sunday’s Premier League game will be broadcast across the world by the Premier League's international broadcast partners, but not in the UK.
You can listen to commentary in the UK on talkSPORT, BBC Radio London 94.9FM and worldwide on whufc.com and our official app.
You can also follow the action via our live blog on whufc.com and our app and across our social media channels. We will also have highlights and exclusive reaction for you after the final whistle.
Team News…
Mohammed Kudus and Konstantinos Mavropanos both impressed in their respective first starts against FK TSC on Thursday evening, and will be hoping to earn a first start in the Premier League for the Hammers.
Manager David Moyes confirmed in his press conference on Friday morning that Jarrod Bowen has been unwell, while Aaron Cresswell was substituted on Thursday due to a hamstring problem. Both will be assessed ahead of Sunday.
Edson Álvarez could return to the Hammers side after missing out on Thursday’s UEFA Europa League match due to a suspension.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have been without vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold and midfielder Thiago Alcantara. Alexander-Arnold has been absent with a hamstring injury but there is hope he might return to Premier League action on Sunday, while Thiago is still recovering from hip surgery.
Reds captain Virgil van Dijk has completed a suspension served for a red card given to him against Newcastle next month, and can return to Premier League action against West Ham on Sunday.
Opposition…
It seems to be a case of normal service being resumed for Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp.
Even amidst the disappointment that was the majority of last season for the Reds, Liverpool still ended the campaign on an eleven-game unbeaten run, form that saw the side finish fifth in the Premier League. In Klopp’s own words: “Imagine we were more our normal selves, which we absolutely will be next season. We will be a contender again.”
Early 2023/24 form suggests that is certainly the case for the Anfield outfit, who have won four of their five Premier League matches so far this campaign; against AFC Bournemouth, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Only an opening day draw with Chelsea stopped Klopp’s side from joining Manchester City on maximum points for season so far.
Suggestions of a midfield rebuild in the summer saw the likes of James Milner, Naby Keïta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain depart at the end of last season, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai joining from Brighton & Hove Albion and RB Leipzig respectively. As captain Jordan Henderson and Brazilian Fabinho also moved on to Saudi Arabia, Liverpool followed up by adding Japan international Wataru Endō and Netherlands international Ryan Gravenberch to complete their summer transfer spend.
Optimism certainly appears renewed at Anfield. While the side missed out on Champions League football they, like the Hammers, feature in this season’s UEFA Europa League; the only trophy the Reds are yet to win under their current German manager.
With Egyptian legend Mohamed Salah in excellent form, and the Reds back-line boasting the joint-second best goals conceded record in the Premier League so far this season, it appears Liverpool are once again a side set for the very summit.
Previous Meetings…
Sunday’s match will be the 126th time West Ham United and Liverpool have played each other in competitive action.
It is a run of games that stretches back to 1901, when the Hammers were defeated the Reds 1-0 in an FA Cup intermediate round tie.
In the Premier League, this is the 55th match between the two sides, and it is perhaps unsurprising to learn that Liverpool have had the advantage in most of the other games, winning 34 to West Ham’s ten, with another ten ending in draws.
In fact, the Hammers have won just once in 27 previous Premier League games at Anfield, although that win was a brilliant 3-0 victory secured in August 2015. That day, Manuel Lanzini, Mark Noble and Diafra Sakho struck to secure our first win at Anfield in 42 attempts, a streak dating back to September 1963.
Our most recent win against the Reds was at London Stadium in November 2021, when an early Alisson own-goal and second-half strikes from Pablo Fornals and Kurt Zouma secured a superb three points for David Moyes' side.
Jürgen Klopp’s side got the better of the Hammers in both Premier League matches last season, by narrow 1-0 and 2-1 scorelines.
Match Officials…
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Assistant Referees: Mat Wilke and Mark Scholes
Fourth Official: Craig Pawson
VAR: David Coote
Assistant VAR: Nick Greenhalgh
Chris Kavanagh will serve as the referee for West Ham United's away Premier League match with Liverpool on Sunday.
The Hammers will make the trip to Anfield this weekend and Kavanagh, from Ashton-under-Lyne, will lead the match officials for Sunday's match.
The 38-year-old began his refereeing career at the age of 13 and was promoted to the National League in 2012. He started working in the English Football League in 2014 and was invited into the Select Group of Referees, and therefore the Premier League, in 2017.
Kavanagh notably refereed the 2020/21 EFL Championship play-off final between Brentford and Swansea City, which the Bees won 2-0, and will be officiating his first Premier League match of the season on Sunday.
He worked 13 Premier League games last season, including four West Ham matches; the 3-1 home win against Fulham and the defeat at Manchester United in October, the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa in March and the loss to Liverpool in April.
Read here for more information on Sunday’s match officials.
