Midfield And Strike Force
Lucas Leiva
While the Brazilian might not be the most popular midfielder around in Merseyside these days, he still is the only defensive midfielder the Reds have to replace the ageing Steven Gerrard with Emre Can ruled out for another month with an ankle injury.
Jordan Henderson
In what might be his first game as Liverpool skipper, Jordan Henderson is the first man on Brendan Rodgers team-sheet these days. A box-to-box midfielder who has developed sharp vision to accompany his assured passing – Hendo is the future of the Liverpool midfield.
Joe Allen
The Welshman’s injury during the international break left a huge void in the Liverpool midfield. Endless endeavor and an unwavering enthusiasm to close the ball down, Joe Allen is the ideal man to play on the left of the diamond in the Liverpool midfield. His return will provide more bite in the middle of the pitch.
Adam Lallana
The Englishman who moved to the North West from the South Coast and missed all of pre-season looked awfully short of match fitness in his opening 2 games as a Liverpool player. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, Lallana is yet to win over the major lot of Liverpool fans after making his debut last weekend. With Rodgers’ clearly pointing out the importance of keeping Raheem Sterling from burning out and Coutinho woefully out of form, Lallana might just be the beneficiary of circumstances in this scenario.
Mario Balotelli
The Italian striker netted his first goal as a Liverpool striker against the Belarusian Ludogoretz mid-week. Expected to continue leading the line until the return of the injured Daniel Sturridge, Balotelli will have to be prepared for a very physical game against the Hammers this weekend.
Fabio Borini
After an interesting cameo coming on as a substitute against Ludogoretz, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Italian gets a start at the weekend. After having received a lot of stick over the dealings in the transfer window, Fabio Borini will be itching to prove it to everyone that he can make the cut as a Liverpool player.