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Football London
Football London
Sport
Jonty Colman

Liverpool could be without eight players for West Ham clash including Diogo Jota

Liverpool could be without as many as seven first-team players for their Premier League meeting with West Ham United on Wednesday evening.

The Reds have started the season well below their own expectations, sitting eighth in the Premier League table and 14 points behind league leaders Arsenal after just nine matches going into their meeting with the Hammers.

However, Jurgen Klopp’s side did cause a shock on Sunday afternoon, beating Manchester City 1-0 at Anfield with last season’s joint Premier League Golden Boot winner Mohamed Salah scoring the winner in the second half.

READ MORE: David Moyes hits out at VAR official over Southampton’s goal and penalty claim in West Ham draw

Liverpool’s poor start to the season has not been helped by their current injury situation. While right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold did make his return from injury as a 90th-minute substitute against City, they could still be without as many as eight players to host West Ham on Wednesday night.

Winger Diogo Jota was forced off on a stretcher in the closing stages of their win over City, with fears that he will now miss the World Cup next month with national side Portugal.

Fellow forward Luis Diaz is also currently sidelined with a knee injury and is not expected to feature until after the season restarts at Christmas after the World Cup.

Centre-back Joel Matip could also miss out with an ankle injury suffered in the 3-2 defeat to league leaders Arsenal eight days ago. Right-back Calvin Ramsay is also working towards full fitness following a back issue and is expected to make his comeback via the club’s under-21s before returning to the first-team squad.

Liverpool's Luis Diaz was a January transfer target for West Ham (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) (OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is making his return to training following a long-term hamstring issue suffered in pre-season, although Wednesday’s meeting with the Hammers still could come too soon for him. Fellow midfielder Naby Keita has not played since the Community Shield in July due to a long-term hamstring issue.

Another midfield injury for Liverpool comes via deadline day signing Arthur Melo from Juventus. Arthur recently suffered a long-term thigh issue that will keep him out of the action until the new year, with many reports suggesting his loan from Italian giants Juventus.

French centre-back Ibrahima Konate is also on the treatment table at present. Having recently recovered from a long-term absence with a knee injury, Konate missed the win over City on Sunday with a muscle injury.

West Ham themselves have concerns going into the match. Centre-backs Craig Dawson and Kurt Zouma both missed Sunday’s 1-1 draw away at Southampton with a dead leg injury and illness respectively.

Their centre-back issues have been made worse by the fact that Moroccan international and £30million summer signing Nayef Aguerd is yet to recover from an ankle issue picked up in pre-season, although he has returned to light training.

Winger Maxwel Cornet is also a doubt after missing the last four matches with a calf issue.

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