Liverpool could move up to 45 points as the English Premier League (EPL) plays its final game of 2024 on Sunday. Arne Slot’s Reds still have a game in hand but can finish the year with just one loss in 18 games. Both teams won on Boxing Day, with Liverpool defeating Leicester City and Julen Lopetegui’s Irons condemning Ivan Juric’s Southampton to defeat. The Hammers are unbeaten in four EPL games as 2024 ends on a positive note for the Londoners, but this weekend’s visitors have won six of their last seven meetings, including a 5-1 EFL Cup steal. Arsenal and Chelsea have struggled to make the most of Liverpool’s rare drop in points so far this season, but the Reds have barely missed a beat. The men in the slot benefited at the Blues’ expense just a few days ago. Mohamed Salah continued his outstanding form as he joined Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones in scoring to become Egypt’s eighth player to reach 100 Premier League home goals as they beat the Foxes.
Here’s the storyline, how to watch the game, and more.
How to watch and odds
- date: Sunday, December 29 | hour: 12:15 PM ET
- location: London Stadium – London, England
- see: american network | brook: Fubo (Try it for free)
- multiplication: West Ham +550; Draw +400. Liverpool -250
season so far
West Ham are eight points above 13th-placed Manchester United and are currently closer to Europe than the relegation zone. Lopetegui looks safe at the moment and has scored in each of his last seven EPL games. Liverpool’s provisional lead is six points ahead of Arsenal, with a chance of taking them to nine points with one game in hand in 2025. The Slots are yet to taste defeat at home and they have scored in every one of those games. But conceding at least two goals in four successive away games is something the Hammers are aiming for.
team news
West Ham: Lukasz Fabianski, Max Kilman and Carlos Soler are injured, while Guido Rodriguez and Tomas Soucek are also suspended. Lucas Paqueta is back from his ban, Edson Alvarez could be recalled, but Michail Antonio continues to recover from car accident injuries.
Possible West Ham XI: areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Emerson; Alvarez; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus, Somerville; Full Krug.
Liverpool: Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley are unavailable but hoping to return in early 2025, while Dominik Szoboszlai is currently suspended for this match. Curtis Jones is likely to start again, while Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz look set to edge out Darwin Nunes.
Possible Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Gravenberg; Salah, Jones, Diaz; steering.
prediction
This match could be tight with both sides scoring, but Liverpool is expected to come out on top by a goal or two in the end. Select: West Ham 1, Liverpool 2.
