Liverpool welcome West Ham to Anfield this evening for a Halloween fixture - hopefully involving more treats than tricks.
West Ham have started the season in reasonable form and are currently unbeaten against all the teams in the top half of the Premier League table.
They beat 3rd placed Wolves 4-0 and 5th placed Leicester 3-0. A stunning fightback saw them draw 3-3 with Spurs and they also took a point away from their game against Manchester City.
The reds recent record against the Hammers is good, but with mounting defensive problems further changes are expected. Fabinho joined Virgil van Dijk on the treatment table, although clearly he isn't expected to be out for anything like the length of time the Dutchman will be.
At stake for the reds is, at least for a brief period, a potential return to the top of the Premier League.
As it happened...
With Van Dijk and Fabinho ruled out, 19 year old Rhys Williams (who played an hour in midweek) could make his Premier League debut.
Joel Matip, Thiago and Naby Keita are all nearing returns but not expected to make it for tonight's game.
If the reds can avoid defeat, they will make it 63 games unbeaten at Anfield - matching Liverpool's historical record.
Liverpool defender Nat Phillips is chosen to partner Joe Gomez. It's his first PL appearance.
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Gomez, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Jones, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Subs: Adrian, Milner, Minamino, Jota, Shaqiri, R. Williams, N. Williams.
Here's how David Moyes team line up. Sebastian Haller starts up front.
Fabianski, Cresswell, Balbuena, Coufal, Ogbonna, Masuaka, Fornals, Bowen, Soucek, Rice, Haller
Subs: Randolph, Diop, Fredericks, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Yarmolenko, Benrahma
Nat Phillips and Joe Gomez start together at the heart of the @LFC defence for the second time - the first was the F.A. Cup win over Everton back in January.
— Ged Rea (@ged0407) October 31, 2020
Underway at Anfield!
3' Phillips rises highest to head Fabianski's big kick back into the West Ham half.
Joe Gomez is on the left side of central defence tonight, Phillips preferred on the right.
11' Pablo Fornals drills in to make it 1-0.
Cross came in and Joe Gomez heads it straight into the path of Fornals.
13' Some quick movement from the reds, chance comes in and it's spilled by Fabianski.
He gets it at the second attempt with Mo Salah a yard away.
25' Big chance for Henderson who curls it narrowly wide from outside the area.
Appeared that Mane was bundled over in the build up to that.
35' Despite a lot of possession the reds have been limited to half chances.
It appears like Henderson is operating Liverpool's midfield single-handedly.
Wijnaldum and Curtis Jones have not done much.
37' Mane and Firmino string some passes together and it falls to Robbo who unfortunately volleys that over the crossbar.
39' Great position for a Liverpool free kick just outside the area but Trent Alexander-Arnold hits that straight into the wall.
Sums up the first half.
40' Salah brought down after receiving a cross from Trent.
41' Salah converts the penalty to make it 1-1.
Liverpool 1-1 West Ham United
Not vintage LFC. West Ham took the lead against the run of play after Joe Gomez header fell neatly into the lap of Fornals. Mo Salah fouled and then converted the resultant penalty just before half time.
Half time draw is a fair result so far. Liverpool must kick on second half.
Back underway at Anfield.
Must be changes on Klopp's mind.
West Ham, if anything, are seeing a bit more of the ball in this half.
Liverpool remember aiming to make it 63 unbeaten Anfield games to match Liverpool's all time historical record. It remains 1-1.
63' Firmino and Curtis Jones replaced by Diogo Jota and Xherdan Shaqiri.
73' There's a chance for Mo Salah who fires over inside the area.
And time for a West Ham sub - with Sebastian Haller replaced by Andriy Yarmolenko.
And then ruled out.
Diogo Jota thought he had Liverpool's winner but the referee ruled it out for a foul by Sadio Mane after reviewing the pitchside monitor.
THIS TIME IT COUNTS!
83' The two subs, Shaqiri and Jota combined and this time Jota latches on to Shaqiri to score his second of the game, and his first legitimate one!.
90' Milner replaces Salah for the last few seconds of this game.
And by seconds we mean 5 added minutes of stoppage time.
Liverpool 2-1 West Ham
Another Liverpool comeback and Shaqiri and Jota, off the bench, combine to give Liverpool the win after an earlier Jota goal was ruled out.
Liverpool return to the top of the Premier League.
