Liverpool to clash with West Ham United, leaving pundits ‘bemused’ following Chelsea loss.

Liverpool’s upcoming opponents have been labeled as ‘worrying’ by Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy following a disappointing performance.

Their recent 3-0 loss to Chelsea at the London Stadium marked the first time in the club’s 129-year history that they have lost their first three home games of a season.

Despite acquiring notable players like Niklas Fulkrug, Guido Rodriguez, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Crysensio Summerville, the team has struggled to gel under new manager Julen Lopetegui.

With league matches against Wolves and Brentford on the horizon, both teams are expected to rotate their lineups.

However, Arne Slot’s squad appears stronger overall, and the match taking place at Anfield gives Liverpool an edge.

Yet, the dissatisfaction surrounding Lopetegui and the team’s poor form were evident in the defeat to Chelsea.

He referred to the upcoming Liverpool game as a ‘great challenge,’ expressing confidence that his team will improve in his post-match remarks.

Nonetheless, Murphy critiqued Lopetegui’s tactics, stating, “He has to take some responsibility for this,” particularly highlighting the odd man-to-man marking of Nicolas Jackson by Edson Alvarez.

Murphy questioned the decision to implement such a strategy without adequate physicality support, calling it “very strange.”

Former Everton and Swansea defender Ashley Williams added to the critique, noting how obvious the tactical missteps were from the start. “He assigned the wrong players to the wrong job.

This is Lopetegui’s tactics; Jackson’s goals were among the easiest he’ll score,” he remarked, acknowledging the quality of the goals but emphasizing the tactical failures.

Looking ahead to the match, Slot is likely to make several changes. With Alisson Becker sidelined due to injury, Caoimhin Kelleher is expected to remain in goal.

Wataru Endo will likely join Curtis Jones in midfield, allowing Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister some much-needed rest.

Similarly, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah may be rested, paving the way for Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, and Federico Chiesa to step in.

The Hammers may opt to keep a strong starting lineup in hopes of reversing their poor form.

Nonetheless, Liverpool’s impressive squad depth ensures that they will field a competitive side, even if the EFL Cup is not their top priority this season.