Team News | Saturday, 28 February 2026 | Anfield | Kick-off 20:30 GMT
Arne Slot has named his Liverpool side for this evening’s Premier League clash against West Ham United at Anfield, with one change from the eleven that secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest last weekend. Joe Gomez comes back into the starting lineup, replacing Curtis Jones in the only alteration made by the head coach. It is a selection that rewards Gomez for his recent cameo appearances and signals Slot’s trust in the experienced defender as Liverpool look to build on a run of form that is slowly beginning to gather pace.
Liverpool line up as follows: Alisson in goal; Gomez, Van Dijk, Konate and Kerkez in defence; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Gravenberch in midfield; with Salah, Gakpo and Ekitike leading the attack. On the bench, Slot has named Mamardashvili, Woodman, Chiesa, Jones, Robertson, Frimpong, Nyoni, Ramsay and Ngumoha as his available options.
Return of Joe Gomez
The return of Gomez is a timely boost for a Liverpool side that has been managing its defensive resources carefully throughout the month of February. With Conor Bradley still unavailable through injury, Wataru Endo sidelined for the long term following the serious ankle problem he suffered against Sunderland, and Alexander Isak recovering from a broken leg sustained earlier this season, the demands on Slot’s squad have been considerable. Gomez’s return to full fitness and his reintroduction to the starting eleven provides much-needed experience and cover in a backline that has conceded just once across its last three matches in all competitions. That defensive solidity is something Liverpool will be desperate to maintain against a West Ham side that has quietly found form in recent weeks.
Florian Wirtz, who was ruled out of last weekend’s trip to the City Ground due to a back issue, misses out again this evening and does not appear among the substitutes. His absence remains a significant blow to Liverpool’s attacking options. The German playmaker, signed in the summer to add creativity and ingenuity between the lines, has brought a different dimension to Liverpool’s play when fit, and his unavailability forces Slot to lean heavily on Szoboszlai to provide that same sense of invention and vertical threat in the more advanced areas of the pitch.
The presence of Jeremie Frimpong among the substitutes is, however, an encouraging development. The Netherlands international had missed the last five matches through a groin complaint, and his return to the matchday squad gives Slot a useful and energetic option from the bench should he choose to change the shape or tempo of the game in the second half. Frimpong’s ability to carry the ball and create in wide areas is something Liverpool have sorely missed during his absence, and the prospect of him coming on against a tiring West Ham defence could prove decisive if the match remains close heading into the final stages.
Hugo Ekitike continues to lead the line in place of the absent Alexander Isak, and the young Frenchman will be looking to build on a growing run of contributions for the club. Cody Gakpo provides support and movement from the left, while Mohamed Salah, as ever, remains Liverpool’s primary creative and goalscoring threat. The Egyptian’s record against West Ham at Anfield is formidable, and he will be the man that Nuno Espirito Santo’s defensive organisation must account for above all others this evening.
The stakes this evening could not be much higher for Liverpool. They go into the match sitting sixth in the Premier League table, level on points with Chelsea in fifth and three points behind fourth-placed Manchester United. A win tonight would take them to within touching distance of the Champions League places and would complete three consecutive top-flight victories without conceding for the first time since Slot’s opening three games in charge of the club last season. It would also extend a remarkable home record against tonight’s opponents. Liverpool have not lost to West Ham at Anfield in the Premier League since August 2015, a run of ten consecutive home victories in this fixture that stretches back over a decade. The last time the Hammers left Anfield with three points, Brendan Rodgers was Liverpool’s manager and Philippe Coutinho was still at the club.
West Ham, for their part, arrive as a side with something to prove and a great deal to play for. Sitting 18th in the table and two points adrift of safety, Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have shown genuine signs of revival in recent weeks, collecting eleven points from their last six Premier League games, a tally that matches what they managed in the previous eighteen matches combined. That upturn in form has kept them in the fight for survival, but a draw with Bournemouth last weekend was a reminder that they are still far from consistent. They will need to be sharper than that this evening if they are to cause an upset.
For Liverpool, the home crowd and the weight of history are on their side. Anfield on a Saturday evening, with the atmosphere and the pressure of a top-four race pushing everything forward, is as formidable a setting as English football provides. Slot’s side have shown in recent weeks that they are capable of finding a way to win even when performances are not at their most fluent. The 1-0 victories over Sunderland and Forest were not pretty, but they were professional, controlled, and effective. A third successive clean sheet and a third successive one-goal victory would be more than acceptable tonight.
The teamsheet is set. The stakes are clear. For Liverpool, this is not just three points. It is a statement of intent in a top-four race that is entering its most critical phase.
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YNWA (You’ll Never Walk Alone)!
The Liverpool FC Times Team
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