West Ham United defender Dinos Mavropanos and his teammates face a monumental challenge on Sunday as they attempt to stop Liverpool, arguably the toughest test in English football.
Under new manager Arne Slot, Liverpool has been relentless, scoring a league-best 40 goals and finding the net in each of their first 17 matches.
Mohamed Salah, their talisman, leads the Premier League in both goals and assists, with 16 and 11 respectively.
The Reds have scored at least two goals in their last ten Premier League games and have lost only once this season, a surprise home defeat to Nottingham Forest in September.
This form has propelled them to the top of both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League standings, as well as the EFL Cup semi-finals.
Despite the daunting task, Mavropanos is undeterred.
The Greek international draws confidence from West Ham’s previous victories over top teams like Arsenal and Chelsea, believing they can defy expectations once again.
Speaking to Premier League Productions, he expressed optimism about their chances.
“Liverpool are having an excellent season,” he acknowledged.
“They’re a strong and consistent team, but when we are at our best, especially with our fans at home, we’ve shown we can achieve the unexpected.
If we prepare well and give everything, we can get something from this game.”
Facing Salah will be a major challenge, but Mavropanos believes in his team’s defensive improvements, which have seen them concede just three goals in their last four matches, including a clean sheet in their Boxing Day victory over Southampton.
“Of course, Salah is an incredible player, and it’s tricky to play against him,” he admitted.
“But if we stick to our plan and stay focused, we can stop him and their other attackers.
It’s a crucial match because we’re unbeaten in our last four games, and continuing that streak against a team like Liverpool would boost our belief.
It would show we can push ourselves to perform better and climb higher in the table.”
Mavropanos is embracing the challenge, fully aware that overcoming a side as dominant as Liverpool would be a defining moment for West Ham’s season.
With confidence in their defensive strides and the backing of their supporters, the Irons are preparing to rise to the occasion.
