By Liverpool are set to kick off their Carabao Cup title defense on Wednesday evening, hosting West Ham United at Anfield with kickoff scheduled for 20:00 BST.
The Reds, who defeated West Ham 5-1 en route to lifting the trophy last season, view this competition as an opportunity for new manager Arne Slot to secure his first piece of silverware with the club. Liverpool have impressed under the Dutchman’s leadership, losing just once and currently sitting second in the Premier League table.
Liverpool enter the match in strong form, coming off a 3-0 victory over Bournemouth in the Premier League and a 3-1 win against AC Milan in their Champions League opener. In contrast, West Ham have struggled under new manager Julen Lopetegui, collecting only four points from their first five league games and suffering a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in their last outing.
Team News:
Liverpool have few injury concerns, with Harvey Elliott sidelined until late October and goalkeeper Alisson unavailable for this match. Caoimhin Kelleher is expected to start in goal. Manager Arne Slot has hinted at giving Federico Chiesa his first start for the club, while Cody Gakpo is likely to feature in the lineup.
West Ham are only missing summer signing Niclas Fullkrug. Either Michail Antonio or former Liverpool striker Danny Ings is expected to lead the attack. Midfield changes are possible after a disappointing weekend performance, with Carlos Soler and Tomas Soucek potentially replacing Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez.
Historical Context:
Liverpool have dominated recent meetings between the two sides, winning four of their last five encounters, with one draw. West Ham’s last victory at Anfield came in August 2015.
Prediction:
Given Liverpool’s strong form, home advantage, and deeper squad, they are favored to progress to the fourth round. West Ham’s defensive issues and midfield struggles suggest they may struggle to contain Liverpool’s attack.
A likely scoreline could be Liverpool 3-1 West Ham, with the home side’s rotation options expected to prove too strong for the visitors.
This match represents an important opportunity for both managers to assess their squad depth and for fringe players to make a case for more regular involvement in Premier League action.
