West Ham v Liverpool
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 27 February
Kick-off: 1330 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen on BBC Radio 5 live, local radio and Absolute Radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles
TEAM NEWS
Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his first league appearance for West Ham, having scored on his debut in Monday's FA Cup win over Burnley.
Matthew Upson (Achilles) is unlikely to feature, and Victor Obinna might miss out with a foot problem.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has played down suggestions that Andy Carroll will be fit to make his debut.
Steven Gerrard could return from a groin injury, but Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly are doubts.
West Ham
Doubtful: Obinna (foot)
Injured: Collison & Kurucz (both knee), Dyer (thigh), Keane (calf), Stanislas (hernia), Upson (Achilles)
Liverpool
Doubtful: Agger (unknown), Carroll (thigh), Gerrard (groin), Johnson (Achilles), Kelly (groin/thigh)
Injured: Aurelio (thigh), Shelvey (knee)
MATCH PREVIEW
Sweat and tears provided the catalyst for West Ham's unprecedented comeback at West Brom, and the Hammers must sustain that Olympian effort in their quest for survival.
The pressure to remain in the top flight is intensified by their proposed move to Stratford after the 2012 London Games. It looked as if West Ham would fold under the strain when they trailed 3-0 at fellow strugglers West Brom, but a heartfelt half-time rallying cry by captain Scott Parker inspired the team to claw back the deficit and move off the foot of the table.
While Parker could yet prove to be West Ham's miracle worker, Liverpool have most certainly found their own. They are unbeaten in their last eight matches under Kenny Dalglish, and European qualification is now an achievable prospect.
Nonetheless, Liverpool still have to play four of the sides above them. It's a tough-looking run of games for West Ham too - five of their next eight league fixtures are against teams currently in the top six.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Liverpool have won their last four matches against West Ham, scoring three goals on each occasion.
• Their only defeat in the last 17 meetings was 1-0 at Upton Park in January 2008. West Ham have lost five of the last six clashes in east London.
West Ham
• The Hammers have only won one of their last six league matches, picking up five points out of a possible 18.
• The 3-3 draw at West Brom represented the first time in the Premier League that they have come back from a 3-0 deficit to gain a point; they had lost on the previous 56 occasions.
• They have the worst home record in the top flight, averaging a point a game from their 13 matches.
• Avram Grant's side have also picked up fewer points (4) against top-half opposition than any other Premier League team.
• Thomas Hitzlsperger is poised for his 100th Premier League appearance, having made 99 for Aston Villa.
Liverpool
• They are unbeaten in their last eight league and cup matches (W5, D3). They have only conceded three goals in that time.
• The Reds have dropped 19 points from winning positions this season - only Sunderland (20) have fared worse.
• This is Kenny Dalglish's 450th league match as a manager (W248, D113, L88).
• Raul Meireles has scored five goals in his last six league matches after failing to find the net in his first 17.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
West Ham
Cole: 10 goals (4 league); Piquionne: 8 goals (6 league);
Obinna: 8 goals (3 league)
Liverpool
Gerrard: 8 goals (4 league); Ngog: 8 goals (2 league)
NB. Carroll has scored 11 goals (11 league) for Newcastle; Torres scored 9 goals (9 league) for Liverpool before joining Chelsea.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mark Halsey
Assistant referees: Simon Long & Martin Yerby
Fourth official: Phil Crossley
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
West Ham (D3-3 v West Brom, a): Green; Jacobsen, Reid, da Costa, Bridge, O'Neil (Spector 78), Parker, Noble, Boa Morte (Piquionne 57), Cole, Ba. Subs not used: Boffin, Hitzlsperger, Kovac, Faubert, Hines
.
Liverpool (D1-1 v Wigan, h): Reina; Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson, Maxi, Lucas, Meireles (Ngog 54), Aurelio, Suarez, Kuyt (Jovanovic 73). Subs not used: Gulacsi, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Wilson, Poulsen.
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 27 February
Kick-off: 1330 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen on BBC Radio 5 live, local radio and Absolute Radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles
TEAM NEWS
Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his first league appearance for West Ham, having scored on his debut in Monday's FA Cup win over Burnley.
Matthew Upson (Achilles) is unlikely to feature, and Victor Obinna might miss out with a foot problem.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has played down suggestions that Andy Carroll will be fit to make his debut.
Steven Gerrard could return from a groin injury, but Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly are doubts.
West Ham
Doubtful: Obinna (foot)
Injured: Collison & Kurucz (both knee), Dyer (thigh), Keane (calf), Stanislas (hernia), Upson (Achilles)
Liverpool
Doubtful: Agger (unknown), Carroll (thigh), Gerrard (groin), Johnson (Achilles), Kelly (groin/thigh)
Injured: Aurelio (thigh), Shelvey (knee)
MATCH PREVIEW
Sweat and tears provided the catalyst for West Ham's unprecedented comeback at West Brom, and the Hammers must sustain that Olympian effort in their quest for survival.
The pressure to remain in the top flight is intensified by their proposed move to Stratford after the 2012 London Games. It looked as if West Ham would fold under the strain when they trailed 3-0 at fellow strugglers West Brom, but a heartfelt half-time rallying cry by captain Scott Parker inspired the team to claw back the deficit and move off the foot of the table.
While Parker could yet prove to be West Ham's miracle worker, Liverpool have most certainly found their own. They are unbeaten in their last eight matches under Kenny Dalglish, and European qualification is now an achievable prospect.
Nonetheless, Liverpool still have to play four of the sides above them. It's a tough-looking run of games for West Ham too - five of their next eight league fixtures are against teams currently in the top six.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Liverpool have won their last four matches against West Ham, scoring three goals on each occasion.
• Their only defeat in the last 17 meetings was 1-0 at Upton Park in January 2008. West Ham have lost five of the last six clashes in east London.
West Ham
• The Hammers have only won one of their last six league matches, picking up five points out of a possible 18.
• The 3-3 draw at West Brom represented the first time in the Premier League that they have come back from a 3-0 deficit to gain a point; they had lost on the previous 56 occasions.
• They have the worst home record in the top flight, averaging a point a game from their 13 matches.
• Avram Grant's side have also picked up fewer points (4) against top-half opposition than any other Premier League team.
• Thomas Hitzlsperger is poised for his 100th Premier League appearance, having made 99 for Aston Villa.
Liverpool
• They are unbeaten in their last eight league and cup matches (W5, D3). They have only conceded three goals in that time.
• The Reds have dropped 19 points from winning positions this season - only Sunderland (20) have fared worse.
• This is Kenny Dalglish's 450th league match as a manager (W248, D113, L88).
• Raul Meireles has scored five goals in his last six league matches after failing to find the net in his first 17.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
West Ham
Cole: 10 goals (4 league); Piquionne: 8 goals (6 league);
Obinna: 8 goals (3 league)
Liverpool
Gerrard: 8 goals (4 league); Ngog: 8 goals (2 league)
NB. Carroll has scored 11 goals (11 league) for Newcastle; Torres scored 9 goals (9 league) for Liverpool before joining Chelsea.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mark Halsey
Assistant referees: Simon Long & Martin Yerby
Fourth official: Phil Crossley
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
West Ham (D3-3 v West Brom, a): Green; Jacobsen, Reid, da Costa, Bridge, O'Neil (Spector 78), Parker, Noble, Boa Morte (Piquionne 57), Cole, Ba. Subs not used: Boffin, Hitzlsperger, Kovac, Faubert, Hines
.
Liverpool (D1-1 v Wigan, h): Reina; Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson, Maxi, Lucas, Meireles (Ngog 54), Aurelio, Suarez, Kuyt (Jovanovic 73). Subs not used: Gulacsi, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Wilson, Poulsen.
Yes, I was lazy and got this off the BBC
My prediction is a 2-0 win for Liverpool, West Ham will put up a good fight. Goals from Suarez and Kuyt