admin“Pundits War”- Paul Merson and Chris Sutton clash over West Ham vs Liverpool score prediction
Liverpool travel to West Ham United on Sunday as they look to halt a dreadful spell of form in the Premier League.
Following their recent defeat to Nottingham Forest, the Reds have now equalled an unwanted record that dates back to the 1953/54 season.
Arne Slot’s side approach this fixture having lost six of their last seven league matches, while West Ham have shown improvement since the arrival of Nuno Espirito Santo.
As kickoff approaches, several pundits have offered their predictions — and readers can make their own below.
West Ham vs Liverpool score prediction
Liverpool’s overall record against the Hammers has been strong, with only one loss in all competitions since 2016.
Still, BBC analyst Chris Sutton believes history won’t count for much this weekend, forecasting a 2-1 win for West Ham.
Sutton explained: “Liverpool’s losing streak has to end eventually, but what evidence is there that it will happen on Sunday? I had the same problem predicting Manchester City last season when they kept losing and I kept expecting a turnaround.
Eventually you have to trust your instincts, ignore how good Liverpool used to be, and base your prediction on their current performances.
“There has definitely been an improvement from West Ham under Nuno Espirito Santo, and I don’t see Liverpool keeping a clean sheet.”
Paul Merson, meanwhile, expects the opposite outcome. Speaking to Sportskeeda, he backed Liverpool to win 2-1, arguing that the Reds still possess superior quality across the pitch.
What the data says
Despite West Ham sitting just above the relegation zone, confidence in Liverpool remains low.
The players seem short of belief, and Arne Slot has yet to demonstrate a convincing change of approach.
Even so, statistics point to a potential lift for Liverpool this weekend. According to Opta’s supercomputer, the Reds are strong favourites with a 49.8% chance of victory, compared to West Ham’s 26.6%.
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