Liverpool will look to close the gap on the top four this weekend when they take on struggling West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday evening.
The Reds are currently sixth in the Premier League table, three points adrift of the Champions League places, whereas the Hammers are just one point clear of the relegation zone.
West Ham
© SilverHubA little over a week ago speculation surfaced suggesting that Slaven Bilic had just two games to save his job at West Ham. Two games later and he remains in the hotseat, although his position is still far from secure.
Last week's stirring EFL Cup comeback away to their bitter London rivals Tottenham Hotspur was a rare highlight of the season so far, but any hope that it could be the catalyst for an upturn in form was dashed just three days later.
The Hammers again faced London opposition in the form of rock-bottom Crystal Palace, but they let a two-goal lead slip in the second half and although Wilfried Zaha's 97th-minute equaliser meant that the spoils were shared, it would have felt like a gutting defeat for Bilic's side.
It was a match West Ham had the chance to close out, even in stoppage time, and rather than looking at it as the point which now separates them from the bottom three, it will be viewed as a potentially costly couple of points dropped.
Two of the four clubs below West Ham in the table have already dispensed of their managers this season, and Bilic will know that defeat to Liverpool on Saturday would leave his own position in an even more precarious state.
West Ham have only lost one of their last five and two of their last nine games in all competitions, but it is their Premier League form which has built most of the pressure on Bilic's shoulders - just one win from their last six and only two all season.
Both of those victories have come at the London Stadium, but form has been mixed in front of their own fans this term with wins over Huddersfield Town and Swansea City being interspersed with defeats to Tottenham and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The latter defeat - a 3-0 reverse in their most recent home game - was the result which really piled the pressure on Bilic, and a similar display against Liverpool this weekend could see them put to the sword again - something the Croatian boss may not be able to survive.
However, they have not lost back-to-back matches in front of their own fans since March and have not failed to score in consecutive home Premier League games since November 2013.
The Hammers may need to keep that record up during a difficult run of fixtures at the London Stadium, with Leicester City, Chelsea and Arsenal next up at home after Liverpool, and indeed November as a whole promises to be a key month ahead of consecutive games against Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal at the start of December.
Recent Premier League form: DLWDLD
Recent form (all competitions): LWDLWD
Liverpool
© SilverHubJurgen Klopp may not be under quite the same scrutiny as the man in the opposite dugout this weekend, but he has still been forced to field questions over his own future following a disappointing spell of form.
A run of just two wins from 10 matches across all competitions saw the Reds slide down the Premier League table, make an unconvincing start to their Champions League campaign and also suffer elimination from the EFL Cup.
There have been signs of progress, though, and Wednesday's 3-0 win over Maribor saw them record back-to-back victories for the first time since August, when they thrashed Arsenal in a result which had many declaring them as title contenders.
The win over the Gunners will feel like a long time ago now, but Liverpool are at least beginning to find their scoring touch again. After only eight goals in as many games following the first international break of the season, the Reds have now netted 14 times in their last four outings, including 10 over their two meetings with Maribor.
Things have improved defensively too, with Liverpool keeping four clean sheets in their last five games after seven matches without one, although three of those clean sheets came at Anfield and it is the Reds' defensive record on the road which will be the main concern for Klopp right now.
Liverpool have conceded a league-high 15 goals on their travels in the Premier League so far this season - and 19 in nine away games across all competitions - compared to only one league goal conceded in front of their own fans.
The Merseysiders have also only won one of their five league games on the road this term and could suffer back-to-back top-flight away defeats for the first time since February this weekend.
However, having all too often struggled to break down opposition they are expected to beat, Liverpool appear to be finding an answer following consecutive 3-0 wins over Huddersfield and Maribor respectively, both of which saw the Reds stay patient and score all of their goals in the second half.
A similar story on Saturday would allow Liverpool to steal a march on their main rivals, with the rest of the top six not in action until Sunday and four of them facing each other, which means that the Reds could - at a stretch - end the weekend in the Champions League places.
Recent form: DWDDLW
Recent form (all competitions): DDWLWW
Team News
© SilverHubLiverpool are once again expected to be without Philippe Coutinho this weekend as the Brazilian continues to struggle with a thigh injury which has forced him to miss the last two games.
Georginio Wijnaldum - who lasted less than 20 minutes of the midweek win over Maribor before limping off with an ankle injury - is also a doubt, while Dejan Lovren will undergo a late fitness test having also missed the last two games.
Sadio Mane has returned to training but will not be in action until after the international break, while Adam Lallana and Nathaniel Clyne also remain sidelined for Klopp's side.
The likes of Simon Mignolet, Jordan Henderson and new England call-up Joe Gomez are expected to return having been left out of the starting lineup in midweek, and there could also be a first Liverpool Premier League start for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
West Ham, meanwhile, are without the suspended Pablo Zabaleta and injured trio Jose Fonte, Sam Byram and James Collins, but Winston Reid and Aaron Cresswell are expected to overcome injury concerns to ease the hosts' defensive worries.
Michail Antonio, who was blamed for giving the late equaliser away last weekend, is also sidelined, leaving Bilic to ponder a change of formation.
Andy Carroll will be desperate to feature against his former club, but with Javier Hernandez and Andre Ayew both on the scoresheet last time out he may have to be content with a place on the bench once again.
West Ham possible starting lineup:
Hart; Reid, Kouyate, Ogbonna; Arnautovic, Fernandes, Lanzini, Noble, Cresswell; Carroll, Hernandez
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Gomez, Matip, Klavan, Moreno; Milner, Henderson, Can; Salah, Sturridge, Firmino
Head To Head
West Ham have been something of a bogey team for Liverpool in recent years, with the Reds winning just one of their last six meetings with the Hammers across all competitions.
The sole win in that time did come in the most recent fixture, though, as any Hammers hoodoo held over Liverpool was well and truly ended by a 4-0 victory on their first ever visit to the London Stadium in May - the Reds' joint-biggest ever away win against West Ham.
The reverse fixture at Anfield ended 2-2, although none of the goalscorers on that occasion will feature this weekend as they are either injured or have since left the respective clubs.
We say: West Ham 1-2 Liverpool
Liverpool look like they are on their way back to form now and, while an away clean sheet in the Premier League seems to be beyond them at the moment, West Ham are likely to play a more attacking game than either Huddersfield or Maribor, which could suit the visitors.
