Prematch | Liverpool FC vs West Ham United | PL Matchday 28 | Saturday 28/02/2026 - 15:00 GMT

The Albert Match Days
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Since everyone seems a little reluctant to start the match thread, I’ll do the honours again.

It’s West Ham at Anfield. The hammers have improved defensively since Nuno Espirito Santo took over, so this has the potential to be another tight match. They are currently 3rd from bottom and two points adrift of Nottingham Forest.

The teams immediately above us don’t play until later, so a win could temporarily move us into 5th place and a rout could even see us up to 4th.

Match Officials:
Referee: Tim Robinson.
Assistants: Richard West, Marc Perry.
Fourth official: Chris Kavanagh.
VAR: Michael Salisbury.
Assistant VAR: Adrian Holmes.

I think this is the first time that Tim Robinson has refereed us from the start, although he was the substitute referee for the second half of the Brentford match.

As it is a good old-fashioned Saturday 3pm kick-off it won’t be available (legally) live on TV in the UK.

No word yet on the pre-match press conference, so I would expect a usual Friday morning slot for that.

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The most important match of the season.
I hope Anfield doesn’t fall asleep. I probably sleep during the match and catch up on the replay. Sleeping will increase the chances that I won’t know the score before watching the replay.

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Hopefully Wirtz is fit to start.
Hopefully Cody is on the bench.
Hopefully Rio starts and injects pace into the team.
Hopefully we win

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I’m sure that Arne and his team will know the personnel, formation and tactics to see us through this game. COYR YNWA :+1: :nerd_face:

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I’m sure we will get an update on Friday, but these are the current injury lists:

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Hoping for less of a grim watch than last week, the evidence of which suggests that it does not take evening kickoffs to send me nodding off early.

Come on lad ffs, play some proper stuff.

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Good thread starting RW. You’re growing into the role. Keep it going!

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The two following this match are Tuesday in the PL against Wolves (away) and then Friday in the FA Cup Wolves away again. Then we get a 9 day break.

Given the team just had a break (last week), I expect them to be good to go for three games in a week, but we will prob see some rotation along the way.

Suspect Ali starts all three, given Mamardashvili didn’t get the FA cup game the other week. Virgil, Ibou, Dom, Gravenberch will also probably start all three.

Hopefully Wirtz is fine and can start.

For West Ham;

Ali, Jones, Ibou, Virgil, Robbo, Gravenberch, Macca, Wirtz, Mo, Ekitike, Rio

Then for the PL wolves game bring Kerkez in, Gakpo in, and Gomez in.

Then go as strong as possible for the FA cup game.

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Hopefully see Wirtz and Frimpong back in the squad and no other injuries.

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What’s happened to Dom?

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Yeah missed him - over Macca or Jones in the West Ham.

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Strong team for this one and Wolves, then we can rotate a bit for the FA Cup

Alison
Jones Konate Van Dijk Kerkez
Gravenberch Szobozslai
Wirtz
Salah Ekitike Gakpo

Hopefully we’ll get Frimpong back over the next two.

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Hopefully positive news on Frimpong from Slot, he said he hoped he would be back in training this week, if everything goes well. We’ll see if he can be at least on the bench here or not yet.

Honestly, I’d be tempted to stop the “bullshit” for a bit, start Gomez at RB (he started there in the reverse fixture/win) and definitely push Szobo back higher between the lines.

Drop one of Gakpo/Salah to the bench. Could make a case for both, but that would possibly be too defensive from the start.

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