Watch out Derren Brown; before West Ham United host Liverpool in Sunday’s Premier League clash, there are a few amateur illusionists on Merseyside coming for your job.
Not only are a wounded Liverpool fanbase predicting a tenth defeat in 13 matches in league and cup – albeit you do not need to be a master soothsayer to see that coming, a day after Arne Slot trudged off to a chorus of Anfield boos – they seem to know who will score, and in what minute too.
Though it should be said that, of all the West Ham United players to put the hosts 1-0 up this weekend, the odds will be at their shortest regarding Jarrod Bowen.
The Hammers skipper averages a goal or an assist almost every other game against the Premier League champions. He even scored three times against the Reds in three separate encounters during the 2023/24 season.
And Arne Slot’s Liverpool are haemorrhaging goals at an alarming rate right now. PSV Eindhoven, with a 4-1 thumping on Wednesday night, became the third successive team to score three or more goals against Virgil van Dijk and co.
Wounded beasts are often the most dangerous, of course. Speaking after that PSV dismantling, Curtis Jones sounded like a man desperate to stick the boot in. Not only on his underperforming teammates, but the opposition too.
Actions speak louder than words, though. As much as Liverpool’s players continue to talk a good game in the media, it’s been a while since they last played one.
Liverpool fans predict Jarrod Bowen will fire West Ham United in front on Sunday
In truth, the talismanic right-wingers of both Liverpool and West Ham have fallen short of their usual standards this season.
Having turned 33 in June, Liverpool might just have pushed their luck with the previously evergreen Mo Salah one step too far. Jarrod Bowen has cut a frustrated figure in front of goal too, at times. The England international has just three goals from 12 Premier League appearances.
But, in a brutal reflection of the waning belief in Arne Slot and his beleaguered charges, there are plenty of Liverpool supporters expecting goal number four to arrive on Sunday.
“Can’t we, like, skip [the game]?” one fan writes on social media. “You know Bowen is going to score in the third minute.”
“3’. Goal for West Ham. 1-0. Jarrod Bowen gives home side the lead,” another predicts, performing his very best Gillette Soccer Saturday, roving reporter audition.
“Goal, West Ham lead through Bowen. 1-0, 8’.”
“Liverpool start well, ball lost in midfield, Bowen 1-0, 04′.”
“Incoming annual Bowen goal vs Liverpool.”
“Bowen hatty on our heads.”
“Bowen is definitely scoring.”
Arne Slot’s Liverpool have conceded so many early goals
The Liverpool fans have a very good reason to fear an early West Ham opener.
As recently as October, the crisis-hit Premier League champions conceded a goal in the opening 15 minutes in four successive matches. The first time they had achieved this unwanted feat since 1996.
Last night, PSV winger Ivan Perisic became the seventh player to score in the opening 20 minutes of a match against Liverpool this season alone. That tally would stand at eight, if Giorgi Mamardashvili had not saved an Erling Haaland penalty during the 3-0 defeat by Manchester City.
Opportunities should be plentiful for Bowen in theory, then. Particularly up against a left-back in Milos Kerkez whose defensive deficiencies were exposed brutally once again by the Dutch champions.
West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes should have plenty of joy, too, with Liverpool’s legless midfield possessing about as much resistance these days as wet tissue paper.
“I think it is a shock for everyone,” a deflated Slot said after a rampant PSV consigned Liverpool to their worst run of form in 71 years. “For the players, for the journalists in here, for me, for everyone. This is a shock and it’s very, very, very unexpected if you look at the quality we have.
“Is it a lack of confidence? I didn’t see that in the first half. Of course, it is hard if after losing 3-0 [against Nottingham Forest], straight into this game you concede a goal [after six minutes].
“But, in the end of the game, I did see it affect maybe one or two players [when] we were 3-1 and 4-1 down, that’s true.”
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