Paul Merson and Gabby Agbonlahor have predicted two very different outcomes of the West Ham vs Liverpool clash.
Two outspoken pundits have been having their say on the Premier League match between West Ham and Liverpool.
There is plenty to play for in the Saturday lunchtime game between the Hammers and Reds.
Both sides are trying to rescue fading Premier League hopes at the London Stadium.
As far as West Ham fans are concerned, the team has thrown away a glorious chance to qualify for Europe for a fourth season on the bounce.
Although there is still a glimmer of hope West Ham can get the estimated points needed after results elsewhere this week.
Liverpool’s title challenge has faltered of late following defeats to Palace and Everton.
Plenty to play for but season will be over for one
The Reds will also need to win their remaining games and hope Man City and Arsenal slip up.
With the Hammers and Reds both knocked out of the quarter-finals of the Europa League, this is all either have left to play for.
But the losers of this one will feel their season is most definitely over.
Jurgen Klopp is leaving Liverpool this summer and David Moyes is now expected to depart West Ham too.
So the game could, in theory, be the last time the two meet.
How do the so-called experts see this one panning out, though?
Well Paul Merson and Gabby Agbonlahor predict very different outcomes for the West Ham vs Liverpool clash.
Merson and Agbonlahor predict very different outcomes
Speaking on Sportskeeda, Merson predicts a tight game will be edged by a single goal in Liverpool’s favour.
“Liverpool will not want their season to fizzle away, but even if they win this game, they won’t go top,” Merson said.
“Things can change so quickly in the Premier League, so they’ll just have to keep winning and see what happens.
“West Ham have completely gone off the rails in recent weeks and the result of this game will depend on which Liverpool side turns up. As bad as they were against Everton, they were undone by two set pieces and missed loads of chances, which is unlikely to be the case here. 2-1 Liverpool.”
Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast on Friday morning, though, Agbonlahor thinks it will be the same scoreline, but to the Hammers.
‘Hammers will beat shaky Reds’
“West Ham, for me, they need to win this game,” he said.
“Eighth in the league, they want European football next season. They are running out of games. They need at least three wins from their four games, for me.
“Liverpool have a shaky defence. They have conceded six goals in their last four games, unlike Liverpool and the likes of Van Dijk. I am going to go for a 2-1 win to West Ham.”
West Ham will want to make it up to their fans after the embarrassing performance in the 5-2 defeat at Palace last weekend.
They will also want a measure of revenge over Liverpool after Klopp’s side were fortunate to beat them 3-1 in the reverse fixture in Anfield before battering Moyes’ men 5-1 to knock them out of the Carabao Cup.
West Ham vs Liverpool kicks off at 12.30pm on Saturday.