West Ham United face Liverpool in the FA Cup Fourth Round Replay on Tuesday following the 2-2 draw at Anfield on January 30th.
The Hammers come off of a disappointing 1-0 loss to Southampton over the weekend which saw James Tomkins leave early with a calf injury. Tomkins will miss Tuesday’s home fixture against Liverpool, leaving Joey O’Brien to make his first start since July for the Hammers at right back this season, since Sam Byram is cup-tied and Carl Jenkinson is out for the year due to injury.
West Ham did improve in the second half against Southampton, but were unable to find the net against 10 men after Victor Wanyama’s challenge on Dimitri Payet was given a straight red card.
“It’s a game we didn’t deserve to lose – we made a sloppy start but were the better team for three-quarters of the game,” Slaven Bilic said.
“We have to lift ourselves up, learn from our mistakes and beat Liverpool.”
Liverpool could see Philippe Coutinho, Divock Origi, and Daniel Sturridge all back from injury for the trip to East London on Tuesday. Although, the Reds could be without Dejan Lovren and Joe Allen after the pair were replaced early due to injury against Sunderland on Saturday.
Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp also is on the injury list, having surgery to remove his appendix on Saturday, missing the Sunderland match. He was back at the training ground on Monday.
West Ham are in good form against Liverpool this season, doing the double over them for the first time in 52 years. However, West Ham are yet to beat Liverpool in seven FA Cup meetings (3 draws, 4 losses).
“We’ve played Liverpool many times this season, twice recently with different line-ups. We played their strongest team and then a team with five or six regular starters, so we are well prepared for whatever team they come with,” Bilic said.
West Ham only managed one shot in their away draw against Liverpool, but it was enough to bring the match to the Boleyn Ground. The Hammers have lost just one of their last 10 FA Cup games at home – a 2-1 defeat by Arsenal in January 2010.
West Ham must improve their play compared to last week’s draw with Liverpool. The second half showed improved pressure by the Hammers against Southampton, and that intensity will have to be taken into the replay against a stronger Liverpool side than last time out.
The Hammers have held Liverpool goalless in 270 minutes of action this season, and West Ham look to extend it to four clean sheets against the Reds for the first time in a single season.
“They are a big club. They’ve had ups and downs this season but make no mistake, whenever a team is facing them, you have to have a complete game,” Bilic said.
“You can’t give them time and space because they will harm you, they have quality. We have to be good, brave, direct and skillful, which we showed in two out of the three games we played against them.”
The winner of the replay will play Blackburn in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, 21 February.
