As Liverpool’s crisis deepens with each passing week, Arne Slot may soon find himself battling to keep his job if Sunday’s Premier League trip to West Ham United ends in yet another setback.
While the reigning champions spiral downwards, the Irons are enjoying a spirited winter revival under Nuno Espírito Santo, collecting seven points from their last three league matches.
After smashing a host of positive records during his debut season in England, Slot and his struggling squad are now racking up unwanted milestones at an alarming rate. Wednesday’s Champions League humiliation laid bare just how bad things have become.
The 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven marked the first time in 72 years that Liverpool have lost three consecutive matches by three goals or more. It also saw the club equal an unwanted landmark — losing three home games by at least three goals in a single season — a statistic that had stood untouched since 1929-30.
Combined with the 3-0 league thrashings by Manchester City and Nottingham Forest, which have left Liverpool languishing in 12th place, Slot’s tenure is hanging by a thread in the eyes of many supporters. Even so, the under-pressure Dutchman is still believed to have the backing of the club’s hierarchy — for now.
But how long will that patience last? With the Reds heading into matchday 13 closer to the relegation zone than to leaders Arsenal, the situation has become dire. They are now at risk of conceding three or more goals in three straight league fixtures for the first time since 1955.
Their away form is equally bleak. Liverpool have lost four successive Premier League games on the road, conceding at least twice in each one. They have also been defeated in their last five league visits to London clubs.
Had this fixture taken place a couple of months ago, West Ham supporters would likely have braced themselves for the worst. Instead, optimism has swept through the London Stadium after a dramatic turnaround in fortunes.
As Liverpool tumble down the table, the 2022-23 Europa Conference League champions have dragged themselves out of the relegation zone and into 17th place following an impressive November.
Home victories over Newcastle United and Burnley were followed by an eventful 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, where Callum Wilson netted a brace before the Cherries fought back to level the match on a stormy evening on the South Coast.
Despite sitting above 18th-placed Leeds United only on goal difference, West Ham’s home form has provided genuine hope. The Irons are now eyeing a third consecutive Premier League win in front of their fans — something they have not achieved in the same season since October 2022.
Liverpool have historically enjoyed their visits to the London Stadium — including a 5-0 win there last season — and have scored 25 Premier League goals at the venue, a tally bettered only by Manchester City (28) and Arsenal (26).
However, the Hammers need only look back to November 2021 for their most recent home league victory over Liverpool. Given the current trajectory of both sides, another upset in Stratford would hardly come as a shock.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Liverpool’s difficult evening against PSV was made even worse by a second-half injury to Hugo Ekitike. While Slot believes the forward’s back issue is not serious, the prospect of Alexander Isak starting on Sunday should give fans something to smile about.
The £125m striker has an impressive record against West Ham in the Premier League, scoring five times and assisting once — his second-best haul against any club after Nottingham Forest. However, he still holds an unwanted record as the only player in Liverpool history to lose each of his first four Premier League starts.
There is better news elsewhere in the squad. Alisson Becker is expected to shake off an illness ahead of the trip down south, and Florian Wirtz may also recover from a minor muscle problem in time to make the squad. Even so, Liverpool will be without Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley, both sidelined with hamstring injuries, while Giovanni Leoni continues his recovery from an ACL issue.
As for West Ham, Lucas Paquetá returns after serving a one-match suspension for yellow-card accumulation, which could prompt a tweak in the starting setup, potentially at the expense of Igor Julio.
The Hammers might also receive a boost with Dinos Mavropanos (thigh) and Crysencio Summerville (knock) nearing returns to the matchday squad. However, Lukasz Fabianski (back) and Oliver Scarles (shoulder) remain unavailable.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Diouf; Potts, Fernandes; Bowen, Paqueta, Summerville; Wilson
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Chiesa; Isak
EXPERT PREDICTION
West Ham 2-2 Liverpool
