West Ham v Liverpool - preview

TEAM NEWS

Dimitri Payet has been named in West Ham's squad after two months out with an ankle injury.

Aaron Cresswell faces a fitness test on his hamstring, while Nikica Jelavic, Winston Reid and Victor Moses are all back in training but not ready to play.

Liverpool have injury-prone striker Daniel Sturridge available following a recent hamstring problem.

Jordan Henderson suffered a setback on his return in midweek, while James Milner and Divock Origi are again out.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Steve Wilson: "Slaven Bilic had a great record against Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers.

"In August he guided West Ham to a first win at Anfield since 1963,whilst his Besiktas side knocked Liverpool out of the Europa League last season.

"Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have put in some stunning displays (Manchester City and Southampton), but also some desperately poor ones (Newcastle and Watford): consistency is an issue.

"Another issue is Liverpool's defending of set-pieces, a fault Andy Carroll will hope to exploit.

"Still Liverpool's record signing, Carroll has two goals this season - both scored as a substitute, both in the 79th minute and both in 2-1 home wins. Liverpool's German manager may not know the expression that trouble comes in threes…"

Twitter: @stevewilson1967 

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "Liverpool are contenders to win the league, like the other teams above them. If they have a good run, of course they can win it.

"Jurgen Klopp has been a boost for the Premier League. All the big clubs wanted to take him. He is good for the league. Expectations are high."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on turning down West Ham last summer: "I'm a lucky guy so there was a lot of interest from different clubs. If West Ham will talk about this then they can do it.

"In the summer I was not available. I was sure I needed a few days for myself without thinking too much about football. That's what I did.

"It's a really good club but it was the wrong time for all the clubs, so nothing to do with West Ham or what I think about West Ham."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

West Ham beat Southampton on Monday after five successive draws. I think they have done really well just to keep their ducks in a row amid injuries to attackers Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho.

Liverpool look more of a threat away from home at the moment. They are creating so many chances on the road but Christian Benteke - who has scored the matchwinner in their last two games - is a dilemma for Jurgen Klopp.

• Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in ourPredictor game.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• West Ham have won two of their last three meetings with Liverpool, including the reverse fixture in August, which they won 3-0 at Anfield - their first league win there since 1963.
• The Hammers last did the double over Liverpool in the 1963-64 season.
• Liverpool have won on seven of their last 10 visits to Upton Park, with the Hammers winning the other three.
• West Ham have scored inside the opening three minutes in two of the last three meetings between the clubs.

West Ham

• West Ham have drawn five of their last six league matches.
• They are unbeaten in six, the joint-longest current such run in the top flight.
• West Ham lost their first two home league games but have not been beaten in any of the subsequent seven (W3, D4).
• Slaven Bilic's side have conceded only nine second half goals, the fewest in the division.
• Andy Carroll scored six goals in 44 Premier League appearances for Liverpool.
• The Hammers took 21 points and scored 23 goals from 12 games before Dmitri Payet was injured, as opposed to just eight points and five goals in seven games without him.

Liverpool

• Liverpool have won each of their last two fixtures. They are yet to win three successive Premier League games under Jurgen Klopp.
• They have recorded five 1-0 league victories, a total only West Bromwich Albion can match.
• Liverpool have scored 11 goals and conceded 11 both home and away this season.
• The Reds have won just six of the 13 matches played against sides below them in the table (D4, L3).
• Liverpool are unbeaten in three matches played in London in 2015-16 (W1, D2).
• No goalkeeper kept more Premier League clean sheets in 2015 than Simon Mignolet, who recorded 16.