Liverpool host West Ham at Anfield on Wednesday night in the third round of the EFL Cup as Arne Slot’s men look to continue their impressive start to the 2024/25 campaign.
The Reds have won all but one of their games this season and it has left a good feeling around the Merseyside club as they begin the defence of the Carabao Cup having lifted the trophy last season under Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool faced West Ham on their journey to winning the 2024 EFL Cup and the two Premier League clubs go head-to-head again on Wednesday in the competition.
Slot has not rotated much during his first few matches as the new Liverpool head coach but that has changed for his team’s clash with the Hammers.
The Dutch coach has made nine changes to the team that defeated Bournemouth on Saturday with Caoimhin Kelleher and Darwin Nunez the only two players to keep their place.
Slot has handed Federico Chiesa his first Liverpool start after completing a move from Juventus this summer.
Liverpool starting 11
The Reds to take on West Ham United ? #LIVWHU
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 25, 2024
As for West Ham, the London club’s season has not started the way they would have liked under new manager Julen Lopetegui as the Hammers find themselves 14th in the Premier League standings having won just one of their opening five games.
The Spanish coach has already come under a little pressure at the London Stadium and will look to use the EFL Cup to ease some of it.
A win over Liverpool at Anfield would be a big boost for West Ham heading into their Premier League clash with Brentford on Saturday and ahead of that London derby, Lopetegui has made several changes.
The Hammers boss has switched out nine players from their 3-0 defeat to Chelsea last weekend with Max Kilman, Edson Alvarez, Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville keeping their places in the Spaniard’s starting 11.
West Ham starting 11
How we line up v Liverpool ? pic.twitter.com/XkfVssedSJ
— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 25, 2024