The manager's verdict

Jürgen Klopp offered his assessment of Liverpool's 18th successive Premier League win during his post-match press conference at Anfield.

Click here to read what he told the assembled members of the press in full.

And here is how the top of the table looks...

All the facts, stats and much more from tonight, courtesy of Opta...

Chance for West Ham.

Noble's shot is deflected wide and the corner is cleared by Robertson.

Five minutes have been added on.

Great save, Ali!

Bowen gets in behind and tries to dink over Alisson, but the No.1 turns it behind for a corner from which Cresswell shoots over after the Reds partially clear.

Alisson saves from Haller after West Ham break.

Woodwork!

Salah gets on the end of a cross at the back post - his effort is saved and Firmino nods the loose ball onto the post.

The noise levels have increased considerably here now!

Alexander-Arnold whips in yet another great delivery that Diop does well to turn behind for a corner.

Liverpool are pushing for a winner...

Firmino heads over after Liverpool's third corner in quick succession. 

Alexander-Arnold lets fly from range after a short corner but Fabianski claws it away.

The pressure is building.

Robertson smashes in a cross that's just too high for Salah at the back post.

Oxlade-Chamberlain's first real involvement sees him blast a shot wide from distance.

Chance!

A great start to the half by the Reds as Alexander-Arnold strides forward and sets up Firmino, but the Brazilian curls over as he tries to find the top corner.

The story of that first half in stats...

We're into one minute of added time.

Off the bar!

Alexander-Arnold curls a free-kick goalwards that takes a nick off the wall and goes behind for a corner. The right-back then whips in a brilliant corner that Van Dijk glances onto the crossbar.

So close!

Trent goes close!

The Reds win the ball back off a West Ham throw-in and Firmino feeds Alexander-Arnold, but his shot flashes wide.

Firmino tries his luck from range but the No.9's powerful shot is always rising and clears the bar.

Superb, Sadio!

Mane nutmegs Snodgrass and looks to curl a shot into the far corner, but his attempt is blocked.

Liverpool have resumed control of the game after Diop's equaliser, but West Ham are standing firm at present and have offered some threat of their own on the break.

Close!

Robertson drills a pass out to Salah, who cuts inside on his left foot and bends a shot towards the top corner that Fabianski tips over.

Liverpool are dominating possession in these early stages and have won a couple of corners, before Andy Robertson curled a shot over the bar.

And now the sides emerge from the tunnel, the Reds being led out by Virgil van Dijk.

Kick-off is just a few moments away.

The teams have just been read out and the atmosphere is building nicely inside Anfield...

Evening, lads...

Behind closed doors

TEAM NEWS

The teamsheet shows just one change for the Reds – and it sees Naby Keita come in for the injured Jordan Henderson.

Virgil van Dijk will wear the captain’s armband, while James Milner is ruled out as a precaution due to a slight muscle strain.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Adrian, Lovren, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Lallana, Origi, Matip.

Alisson Becker takes care of the pre-match media duties here at Anfield...

View from the opposition

We spoke to Hammers season ticket holder and blogger Vinny Ryan ahead of the game for a lowdown on what to expect from the visitors.

"If Antonio is in full swing, he is so unpredictable it can be interesting to see how defenders deal with him," he told us of potential key individual battles at Anfield.

"Felipe Anderson has ability which can sometimes be top-class, but whether he will be able to get any change from the quality Liverpool have at full-back, I would question."

Vinny predicts West Ham will line up like so...

On this day...

West Ham were actually the visitors to Anfield on this very day back in 2018.

On that occasion, the Reds ran out 4-1 winners against the Hammers with Emre Can, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane on target for the hosts.

Relive the best of the action below.

Alisson's approach

Alisson Becker features in tonight's match programme, with the goalkeeper discussing how Liverpool's second-placed finish last term inspired their current Premier League title charge.

"It was a good lesson for us," says the Brazilian. "A difficult one and a hard one for us to accept for just one point of difference of course, because we also did an amazing campaign.

"But I also think that experience made us stronger and this year we don't want to repeat that. We want to win the Premier League title, and in order to win the title you need to win everything. We are focused on our main goal and what is behind is behind.

"We have to focus on our quality. We have an amazing group with amazing players – one goes out, the other comes in. For instance, when I was injured at the start of the season, Adrian came in and performed really, really well.

"It's the same with the outfield players. Everybody helps a lot with what we are doing on the pitch."

The stage?

It's set.

Probably...

There is a new addition at Anfield this evening as Carlsberg – our longest-standing partner – become the first ever club partner to feature pitchside.

Moyes on Anfield challenge

Hammers boss David Moyes says the challenge of becoming the first team to beat Liverpool in the Premier League this season is one his side can embrace.

"That's why we love the game and that's why we take part in the game, because you always hope that you're going to be the team who can win," he said.

"We'll try to do that, and let's hope we can.

"It'd mean a lot for me [to beat Liverpool]. Anfield is never an easy place for any manager or team to go to, but we'll go there and do everything we can to get a result."

'One game at a time'

We caught up with midfielder Gini Wijnaldum ahead of tonight's encounter and he detailed to us the approach the leaders are taking as they aim to complete their Premier League objective.

"Think of one game at a time, try to give everything [in] every game and at the end you will see what will happen. We don't really think about results and those things," said the Dutchman.

"We just think about the game and try to give everything we have and do as good as possible so we have the biggest chance to win the game. Until now, it went quite well, really well, so we hope we can continue this run until the end.

"It's hard and tough but on the other side, we also enjoy it because it's a good feeling if you give everything during the games and feel that you've succeeded at the end of the game. We also enjoy the journey – I have to say that it's easier because we are winning games. 

"But just train hard, look at it game by game and don't look that far ahead. It worked well for us until now."

U23s hit Sunderland for six

Full-time at the Academy and LFC U23s have booked their place in the Premier League Cup last 16 with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Sunderland.

Last time out...

... in the league, Sadio Mane came off the bench to secure a 1-0 win at Norwich City with a stunning finish. See the best of the clash at Carrow Road below...

Here's how the Premier League table looks ahead of our 27th match in the competition...

Stat attack

• Liverpool have not conceded a first-half goal in any of their last 11 league games since Everton scored twice in the opening period on December 4.
• Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has scored three times against West Ham in his career - his most productive opponent.
• Sadio Mane's next start will be his 150th for the Reds in all competitions. 
• Klopp's side have not lost a Premier League game for 417 days and have suffered one top-flight loss in the last 659 days.

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How the Anfield pitch is prepared

Klopp's side return to Anfield for the first time since February 1. Ever wanted to know what goes in to produce the turf they'll play on? Well, read our chat with the club's grounds manager Dave Roberts by clicking here.

Training time

Take a look at the squad's preparations for this match by looking at a selection of images and watching Inside Training from Friday's workout...

The opposing view

West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski acknowledges the tough test he and his teammates face tonight, but is hopeful a good performance will see them secure a much-needed result. 

Fabianski said: “I think it’s a great challenge for us. It’s a great opportunity. It’s another game you can gain three points in, and I think we should look at it in this way. 

“It’s going to be a very difficult game. They’re unbeaten and I think they’ve only drawn one game throughout the whole season, so we know that it’s going to be very hard, but this is the Premier League. 

“You’ve seen many different stories happen in the history of this country and league, so we just have to be up for it and make sure we deliver a good performance.”

Tonight's officials

Referee: Jonathan Moss 

Assistants: Marc Perry, Eddie Smart 

Fourth official: Lee Mason 

VAR: Paul Tierney

Assistant VAR: Stuart Burt

Missing Men

A tricky one today. Can you remember Liverpool's starting XI from the 3-0 victory over West Ham at Anfield back in February 2001?

Robbie Fowler captained the Reds and netted twice, but who else started? Click the graphic to reveal the answers.

TV channels and live coverage details

The match will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK.

Extended highlights will be available on LFCTV GO from midnight, but you can listen to the game live with our free audio commentary service.

For Reds fans outside of the UK, global TV listings for the match can be found here.

U23s in action

Liverpool U23s face Sunderland in the Premier League Cup at the Academy at 2.15pm GMT. Here’s how they line up… 

Jaros, Williams, Hoever, Boyes, Gallacher, Chirivella, Jones, Elliott, Lewis, Hardy, Millar. 

Substitutes: Winterbottom, Van den Berg, Bearne, Clarkson, Longstaff.

You can watch the game live by clicking here.

‘An opportunity to immediately strike back’

Jürgen Klopp wants his players to banish the disappointment of last week’s Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid by securing the three points on offer tonight. 

In his column in the matchday programme, the boss writes: “I could not fault for a second the attitude and application of the team in Madrid last Tuesday. The intensity of our performance was really pleasing and I told that to the boys.

“There was nothing from last week that should set us back. We should look at it the other way. An opportunity to immediately strike back. We have a talented opponent coming to our home and they want to leave with the win.

“This is enough motivation. I will be happy if we take this approach into the match tonight. We’ll need to be at our very best - we know that.”

Play LFC Lotto!

Play LFC Lotto tonight for the chance to win huge cash prizes, amazing signed Reds memorabilia and unique experiences - with every draw this season featuring a shirt signed by the first team and a cap signed by Klopp.

Entries are just £2 in the stadium, or you can play online here.

Fifty per cent of net proceeds from this season's LFC Lotto will specifically help fund LFC Foundation's Military Veterans programme and men's health projects.

Players must be aged 16+

UK only

Tonight's matchday programme cover...

Did you know?

Twelve of Liverpool's 25 league victories this season have been by a single-goal margin.

Pre-match press conference

The boss previewed this fixture by taking questions from journalists at Melwood on Friday afternoon. Watch everything he had to say in the YouTube video below...

Team news

The hamstring injury Jordan Henderson is currently dealing with means Liverpool must make at least one change for tonight's fixture.

“We still have options there and that’s good,” Jürgen Klopp said at his pre-match press conference.

Xherdan Shaqiri and Nathaniel Clyne are the only other players unavailable for the Reds.

West Ham defender Ryan Fredericks is a doubt for the trip to Anfield with a shoulder issue, while Andriy Yarmolenko (thigh) is also likely to be sidelined for the Hammers.

Our last encounter with West Ham

It's not that long ago since we faced tonight's opposition. Indeed, goals from Mohamed Salah and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain saw the Reds claim a 2-0 victory at the London Stadium last month. Enjoy the highlights of that affair below...

Back to it

Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Liverpool's Premier League encounter with West Ham United this evening. 

Stay with us throughout the entire day for the best of the build-up, action and reaction from Anfield. 

Let's do this!