West Ham United travel to Liverpool this evening without star man Michail Antonio.
Liverpool legend says West Ham can hurt Klopp’s side after noticing star’s weakness
West Ham are in great form of late and are looking to build on an excellent return from their horrific run of fixtures when they face Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
The Reds may have their own injury issues with the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho out.
But the champions have huge strength in depth and West Ham will still have to be on their A game to get a result.
Injury issues hamper Moyes and Klopp plans
The big talking point surrounds that injury to Antonio. Even Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said in his pre-match press conference that his absence is a huge blow to West Ham.
Besides Antonio Moyes more or less has a fully fit squad.
He will only make one change to the side with Sebastien Haller coming in.
The £45m Frenchman divides opinion at West Ham. Many supporters even suggested Moyes should go with Jarrod Bowen up top and bring Said Benrahma into the side instead of playing Haller.
But Moyes will start Haller.
One change for Hammers as Haller starts but positional switch is on the cards too
There could however be a position switch for Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen.
The duo have linked up well this season playing on the left and right of West Ham’s midfield respectively.
The pair could switch wings for one very good reason.
Against Liverpool back in February Fornals was one of West Ham’s star performers drifting into a central area from the right hand side in the space left behind by Liverpool’s rampaging left-back Andrew Robertson.
The Spaniard scored that day too.
Robertson knows Bowen’s game inside out from their time together at Hull.
Bowen has admitted in interviews that he and Robertson were continually put up against one another in Hull training.
Moyes could try to negate Robertson and TAA dynamic
And the West Ham star commented that Robertson was tough to take on.
By switching Bowen to the left – which Moyes has done on occasion during games – it negates that potential issue. And his pace – a quality Fornals lacks – may help push the dangerous Trent Alexander-Arnold back.
The right-back has deadly crossing ability and record assists for a fullback.
With Fornals on the left TAA knows he can afford to push up the pitch to get in those positions.
But with Bowen out there, the right-back will be a lot more cautious.
It will be interesting to see if Moyes does deploy that system and how effective it is. One element of West Ham’s game it will take away is Bowen’s ability to cut in from the right onto his left foot.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Liverpool:
Fabianski, Masuaku, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Balbuena, Coufal, Rice, Soucek, Bowen, Fornals, Haller.
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