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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Charlotte Coates

Pundits agree on Liverpool result at West Ham with one ready to look a 'fool' again

Paul Merson and Chris Sutton are both in agreement on what the result of Liverpool's match against West Ham United at the London Stadium will be.

The Reds have won their last two games while the Hammers have hit form themselves as they now sit six points ahead of the bottom three in the Premier League.

A win for Liverpool in London would pile pressure on Newcastle United to win their game against Everton at Goodison Park on Thursday night.

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Former Arsenal midfielder Merson told Sportskeeda he believes the Reds will draw 2-2 in London: "Liverpool are in a position where they may as well try and win every match - a draw is no good. They do not want to be in the Conference League and will want to finish in fifth place.

"The shackles are off for Liverpool at the moment and they're looking good. If you're a professional footballer, the one thing you can bottle up is confidence. They've got that back now, and they're looking dangerous.

"I think West Ham's result yesterday will give them enough confidence to go on and win the Conference League. If you're Liverpool, you do not want to be playing against West Ham now."

Sutton has agreed with Merson on the score being 2-2 as he told BBC Sport: "The Hammers have taken 10 points from their past four games and they are at the stage where another win will probably be enough to keep them up.

"I am not sure they will get it here, despite the improvement of Michail Antonio. This season, like a lot of West Ham players, he has been a bit of a disappointment, but things have really clicked for him of late.

"They will make life difficult for Liverpool and while I think Jurgen Klopp's side will score goals, I still don't trust the Reds defensively - Nottingham Forest caused them problems so West Ham will too."

However, Lewis Jones of Sky Sports has predicted a 2-1 loss for Klopp's side down in the capital on Wednesday night.

"One result shouldn't mask longer-term problems. That's a lesson we've learnt from Liverpool this season. They made me look a fool against Leeds - not hard many will argue - when I was happy to take them on at odds-on and they rammed a 6-1 win down my throat.

"However, I saw little to be swayed that Jurgen Klopp has this Liverpool side back to their best in the 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest. Yes, they got over the line, but to create just 0.37 worth of expected goals from open play and to concede twice to a Forest outfit that had scored just five away goals all season was alarming.

"Well, it's time to be a fool again. I'm against Liverpool here again."

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