Julen Lopetegui makes major Liverpool admission as West Ham injury and selection problems laid bare

Julen Lopetegui makes major Liverpool admission as West Ham injury and selection problems laid bare

Julen Lopetegui will be without up to six key players for West Ham United's home clash with Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday

West Ham United boss Julen Lopetegui will be down to the bare bones against Liverpool this weekend (Image: PA Media )

Julen Lopetegui insists West Ham United will not be afraid of leaders Liverpool, who he believes are 'the best team in the Premier League by far', despite a lengthy list of absentees before Sunday's showdown. A 1-0 win at Southampton on Boxing Day extended the Hammers' unbeaten run to four matches but they could be without five players this weekend who started that fixture.

Lukasz Fabianski, Max Kilman and Carlos Soler had to be replaced due to injuries while midfield pair Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodriguez received yellow cards, which mean they will serve a one-match suspension.

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However, Lopetegui insists he will have no fear against the rampant Reds, who are now six points clear at the summit after their 3-1 comeback win at home to Leicester City.

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"To be afraid? No, afraid no. We have big respect for all the teams, but we have the same respect for Southampton, for Liverpool and all of them," said the West Ham boss, who will definitely be without Michail Antonio after he underwent surgery on a lower limb fracture following a car crash earlier this month.

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"We are talking about the best team in the Premier League. Top players, very good coach, they are now in the height, but we have to believe in us, in our strength and in our possibility.

"We have to take solutions and decisions for the next challenge. We are happy to have this kind of match at home, knowing the difficulty, but in the same way we believe in our players."

Alphonse Areola, Jean-Clair Todibo and Edson Alvarez took their chances off the bench against Southampton and could start against Liverpool, who claimed a 22nd win out of 26 matches under Arne Slot with the triumph over Leicester on Boxing Day.

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Lucas Paqueta will return from suspension but Lopetegui talked up the importance of being a team. He said: "We are talking about the best team in the Premier League now by far. This is enough reason to be ready.

"Now we have to rest and to be ready for the next challenge. It is time to take advantage of the players that we are going to need.

"It is the moment to highlight the worth of the team with capital letters because we need this. We have a lot of problems. All the midfielders out, also we only have two centre-backs, but it happens and we have to be ready."

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West Ham have already felt the wrath of Slot's Reds this season with a 5-1 thrashing at Anfield in the Carabao Cup in September. It was a particularly painful night for Lopetegui, who injured his calf during the match.

"Good memory. It is true but I recover myself," Lopetegui said. "In football, no fear."

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