[West Ham](https://www.claretandhugh.info/latest-on-liverpools-injuries-offers-encouragement-for-nuno-west-ham-news/) travel to Anfield this weekend with a fair degree of optimism: The reigning Champions look less than invincible this season and the Hammers have a spring in their step after their own run of much improved form.
Liverpool’s Egyptian genius Mohammed Salah isn’t having the best of seasons, a nine game goal drought seemingly weighing heavily on the little genius and partially explaining the Reds’ modest – by their own standards- 45 point Premier league total.
_Liverpool’s ‘modest’ sixth place masks a big uptick in their own form_
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However, don’t be fooled into thinking West Ham are going to have it easy: Liverpool’s ‘lowly’ current sixth place masks a significant improvement in form in recent months. As reported in _[thetimes.com](https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/liverpool-west-ham-united-premier-league-preview-arne-slot-g3tlz89n8):_
_“Liverpool languished in 13th place when they last prepared to face Nuno Espírito Santo’s side and now they lie sixth, back in contention for the Champions League qualification that is so important to their self-sustaining financial model._
_That does not tally with pre-season expectations, but is, nevertheless, an uptick from where they were and the improvement has been founded largely upon straightening out the defensive deficiencies that had been so damaging._“
Indeed, Liverpool have lost only twice since the last meeting at London Stadium. Nuno Espirito Santo has to wrestle with his instincts when choosing his starting line up: Going defensive with three centre backs and hoping to nick a goal late on might be fine for a mid table side but relegation-threatened West Ham need a win.
Much will depend on the fitness of last weekend’s defensive stalwart Mavropanos who took a mighty blow on the knee.
With the Reds just scraping home against relegation-challenged Nottingham Forest, this could still be the best time to take on the annual Anfield challenge, but three at the back and a defensive set up will see Nuno under enormous criticism if the Hammers don’t at least have a crack at all three points.