Pellegrini Willing To Risk Three Injured Players Against Liverpool

Injuries are part and parcel of modern day professional football, especially in the cut and thrust of the Barclays Premier League and in West Ham United's case the parcel is so massive it is almost undeliverable! No club can cope with almost an entire first team out injured, in that respect Hammers are way top of the table with Arsenal retaining second place.

In an ideal World Manuel Pellegrini would be resting or seeking further treatment for several key members of his squad as opposed to playing them in tonight's televised and crucial to both ends of the table clash against Liverpool at the London Stadium. Hammers full 'senior player' injury list in order of severity and amount of time to return playing is: Carlos Sanchez, Andrily Yarmolenko, Sam Byram, Winston Reid, Jack Wilshere, Fabian Balbuena, Manuel Lanzini, Ryan Fredericks and Samir Nasri. The other senior players who will most likely be selected, despite carrying injury that will prevent them from playing the full ninety minutes are, Marko Arnautovic and Aaron Creswell, in addition to Arnoutovic and Cresswell, goal keeper Lukasz Fabianski also took a heavy knock during the defeat to Wolves but will be able to play.

Being deprived the services of up to THIRTEEN players will have a devastating effect on most clubs, and it is having an extremely detrimental effect on Pellegrini's attempt to achieve European competition qualification. While some of those on the long term injury list will be available before the end of the season, their loss will already have been felt and the damage done, not only that but when the players do become available it will take time to 'ease' them back in to what is essentially 'gladiatorial battle' but without the weapons and angry animals!

Liverpool will arrive as firm favourites, and rightly so, their brand of fast flowing attacking football is that which West Ham aspire to, and perhaps with a full squad to pick from 'Pelle' might have been able to mastermind a positive result. As things stand though, even grabbing a point will be seen as a remarkable achievement, but under the lights if the crowd are behind the team who knows? The Liverpool fans will be singing their hearts out and will threaten to drown out the rest of the Stadium given half the chance.

Which West Ham will turn up tonight? The team that so comprehensively beat Manchester United and Arsenal or the team that so insipidly capitulated against AFC Wimbledon and Wolves? Given the aforementioned injuries but hoping last minute fitness tests are passed, Hammers probable line up will be: Fabianksi, Zabaleta, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Antonio, Obiang, Rice, Noble, Anderson, Arnautovic. Pellegrini may start Snodgrass in place of Obiang, but the Scott doesn't have the Spaniard's turn of pace and so may have to settle for a place on the bench unless his manager decides to start him instead of 'Captain Mark Noble' who has looked rather 'leggy' in recent matches although he does have a tendency to raise his game against 'top' opposition.

It will be cold and wet at the London Stadium tonight, but will it be miserable? - Ed