Birthday boy Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus both feature in the starting XI for West Ham United’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Liverpool.
The duo grabbed the goals that earned the Hammers a 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Sunday, and both will feature in the visitors' attack at Anfield. The pair also got on the score-sheet in West Ham’s 3-1 win against Arsenal in the round of 16 last month.
Bowen, who celebrates his 27th birthday on Wednesday, will be looking to add to his eleven goals already scored this season, while Kudus will be eager to continue a fine debut campaign in Claret and Blue; one which has already seen the Ghanaian net nine goals across all competitions.
There are six changes to the starting XI from the win over Wolves on Sunday at London Stadium.
Alphonse Areola is selected to start in goal for the Hammers, having missed out in recent weeks due to a wrist injury. Ahead of him, the Frenchman will have a defensive line that consists of Vladimír Coufal, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Angelo Ogbonna – who captains the side and previously scored a winning FA Cup third round goal against the Reds – and Ben Johnson.
Thomas Souček and Edson Álvarez will continue their quickly developing understanding in midfield and will be joined by Spaniard Pablo Fornals. The No8 – who makes his 199th appearance for the Hammers - scored in West Ham’s last win over Liverpool, a 3-2 success at London Stadium in November 2021.
Saïd Benrahma comes in for his 19th appearance of the season and will feature alongside Kudus and Bowen.
Club captain Kurt Zouma is along the options available to manager David Moyes from the bench. He is joined by Łukasz Fabiański, Emerson Palmieri, Aaron Cresswell and Thilo Kehrer.
James Ward-Prowse, Lucas Paquetá, former Liverpool striker Danny Ings and Divin Mubama complete the substitutes.
Liverpool: Kelleher, Gomez, Van Dijk ©, Quansah, Tsimikas, Endo, Jones, Szoboszlai, Elliot, Gakpo, Núñez
Subs: Adrian (GK), Konate, Alexander-Arnold, Clark, Gordan, McConnell, Bradley, Diaz, Salah
West Ham United: Areola, Coufal, Mavropanos, Ogbonna ©, Johnson, Álvarez, Souček, Fornals, Kudus, Benrahma, Bowen
Subs: Fabiański (GK), Zouma, Kehrer, Cresswell, Emerson, Ward-Prowse, Paquetá, Ings, Mubama
Referee: Tim Robinson
