Liverpool v West Ham live: Reds aim to keep pace in race for Champions League qualification

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Given Liverpool’s season, perhaps we should expect a late show either way...Harry Latham-Coyle28 February 2026 14:59Liverpool vs West HamAfter seemingly months of miserable weather, brighter times appear to be ahead but it’s not yet that warm on Merseyside. Though Chelsea face a tough trip to Arsenal tomorrow, three points are surely a must for Liverpool today.Harry Latham-Coyle28 February 2026 14:50Liverpool confirm profit boost after title triumph as wage bill soarsLiverpool were, however, in profit last year - though not perhaps by as much as they might have hoped after a title triumph....Harry Latham-Coyle28 February 2026 14:40Arne Slot defends Liverpool’s summer signings: ‘£450m very well spent’Arne Slot has launched into a defence of Liverpool’s record spending spree by declaring they bought “great” players who will be a “big, big, big success” at Anfield and insisting they did very well with their money.Richard Jolly28 February 2026 14:30Liverpool and the curse of the seven right-backsAlas, not an Enid Blyton story but a reality for Liverpool this season...Trent Alexander-Arnold had always looked irreplaceable, with no successor likely to be able to duplicate his remarkable passing range and pinpoint crossing.

But Jeremie Frimpong’s three hamstring injuries have made the transition even tougher.Frimpong’s latest return to fitness means that today, for the first time in a month, Liverpool will be able to call upon a right-back who actually is a right-back - will wonders never cease?Read Richard Jolly’s assessment of the bizarre situationLuke Baker28 February 2026 14:20Nuno Espirito Santo explains goalkeeping shake-upNuno Espirito Santo says Mads Hermansen has earned his second chance at being first-choice goalkeeper at West Ham.Hermansen, a £20million summer buy from Leicester, endured a torrid start to his Hammers career and was eventually dropped by previous boss Graham Potter and replaced by Alphonse Areola.But Nuno recalled Hermansen three matches ago and has been rewarded with two clean sheets - the first since he took charge - and five points to boost their survival bid."I think he's getting confident, he has the confidence of his team-mates and he has the confidence of our coaching staff," said Nuno."I think inside of the group of goalkeepers they are helping each other very, very much to try and make us a better team and Mads is doing well. The chance came and I think he's delivering."It's not only about the goalkeeper.

We are improving."It requires a lot of individual focus, determination to go and head the ball in the right moment, to stop and contain difficult opponents, to try and solve what's happening these days - it's almost like wrestling inside the six-yard box."All these things I think we have improved, which helps the task of the goalkeeper."Mads Hermansen has been reinstalled as West Ham's No 1 (Getty Images)Harry Latham-Coyle28 February 2026 14:10Mohamed Salah backed to break longest goal drought of Liverpool career Salah has not struck in his last nine top-flight appearances, with his most recent goal in the division coming on 1 November against Aston Villa.But Slot pointed to the 33-year-old’s FA Cup penalty against Brighton to argue that statistic does not matter much and said talk about Salah is merely a consequence of his extraordinary goalscoring feats for Liverpool.Richard Jolly28 February 2026 14:00Liverpool's selection in focusLiverpool have Dominik Szoboszlai starting as a No 10. West Ham have an awful record at Anfield, but Nuno Espirito Santo won here last season with Nottingham Forest to inflict Slot's first defeat.(PA)Richard Jolly at Anfield28 February 2026 13:58