Liverpool host West Ham at Anfield with not only points required but hopefully some revenge for a 3-2 defeat back in November.
West Ham are still highly placed in the Premier League. A win today would see them back in the top four as they aim for not just Europe - but the Champions League next season.
They are unbeaten in their last four and beat Wolves 1-0 in their last game.
For Liverpool, they continue to be a game, and six points, behind Man City. Liverpool allowed a rest for several players in midweek after winning the League Cup, but they have today's tricky game swiftly followed on Tuesday evening by the visit of Atletico Madrid for the Champions League second leg.
Anything less than a Liverpool win today would hand Man City a big advantage ahead of tomorrow's Manchester derby at the Etihad.
Follow the game with us here.
As it happened...
Team news incoming...
Team changes aplenty after the midweek FA Cup game.
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Keita, Mane, Diaz, Salah.
Subs: Kelleher, Milner, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Minamino, Jota, Origi, Elliott.
Here's what the West Ham manager had to say ahead of the game:
"I’ve found it really difficult throughout my career because Liverpool have really, really good teams.
They tend to have top managers, which they’ve got at the moment, and because of that, it always makes it a hard game when you go to Anfield.
At the moment we have a Premier League which is full of the top teams in Europe and in the world.
We’ve got Chelsea, who are world champions and Champions League winners; we’ve got Liverpool who were Champions League winners the year before; and we’ve got Manchester City who are arguably the best team in Europe, so the Premier League is so difficult, but it’s also so good that you’ve got those levels of games.
Sometimes, going to Anfield is very difficult and it has been for me over many years. Hopefully it gets better this time."
Three changes. Declan Rice misses out through illness. Vlasic comes in to replace him in the team.
Fabiański, Dawson, Zouma, Cresswell, Johnson, Souček, Fornals, Lanzini, Vlašić, Bowen, Antonio
Subs: Areola (GK), Diop, Fredericks, Masuaku, Král, Noble, Chesters, Benrahma, Okoflex
Arriving at Anfield ????#LIVWHU pic.twitter.com/KZyZWkFLv3
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 5, 2022
A total of 17 goals in the five games at 3pm today. Steven Gerrard's Villa get a 4-0 win over Southampton - that's his biggest win at a Premier League manager.
Chelsea, Newcastle, Brentford and Palace all get wins.
Norwich's defeat at home to Brentford gives them a huge mountain to climb to avoid relegation.
Today is David Moyes' 18th trip to Anfield as an opposing manager. His record currently reads W0 D7 L10. Dispiriting.
Teams out for this Saturday evening game.
The run of games at Anfield continues. Let's hope the results continue too.
After a round of applause in support of the people of Ukraine we are underway.
Come on reds.
2' Quick break from the reds and Salah is bearing down at Fabianski.
Great ball in by Trent but the West Ham keeper saves with his feet from Salah.
4' Trent involved again. A free kick from out wide and it's not on to Virgil's head so the dutchman attempts a backheel.
It takes a deflection but no corner given.
????????pic.twitter.com/bK0ITrS8lk
— LFC Reds ⚪ (@lfcreds) March 5, 2022
7' West Ham with the tactic of crowding the keeper that they used so successfully (illegally?) at the London Stadium earlier this season.
Michail Antonio is spoken to by the ref.
12' Luis Diaz takes a high ball down with some skills there. He was absolutely surrounded in the penalty area.
Even manages to get a shot away too which is stopped!
14' Alisson called into action to push a strong Antonio shot over the bar.
20' Mane sends one wide from outside the area.
Hit with his left foot which didn't help and didn't have a clear sight of goal.
Liverpool edging possession and chances but West Ham have involved Alisson twice so far.
21' Andy Robertson corner goes straight into the arms of Fabianski.
22' Another Antonio shot after cutting inside on Trent.
Not a lot of power on it and Alisson tips wide for another corner.
BREAKTHROUGH!!
27' Sadio Mane puts Liverpool 1-0 up.
Great build up to the Liverpool goal - wonderful ball fed through by Trent and Mane pokes home.
Even VAR can't chalk that one up.
31' Diaz off on a big run and is fouled just on the edge of the area.
Great stuff from the Colombian.
Kurt Zouma booked from bringing down Diaz there.
Trent's free kick goes close - but not close enough.
Clarification that the yellow card was actually shown to Dawson for an earlier foul.
38' Fabinho sends it into the area, first time pass across the box from Trent and Salah hits the shot.
Aaron Cresswell clears off the line with Diaz just inches away from him!
Cleared off the line at the other end of the pitch!
Trent Alexander-Arnold stops Fornals from scoring an equaliser. He had lobbed it over Alisson.
Fornals was actually offside there but no flag raised. And it ends up being a West Ham corner.
Ludicruous officiating.
43' Antonio drills wide. He gets the ball in good positions but he likes pulling the trigger from outside the area.
Doesn't seem to fancy his pace when he has the ball at his feet.
HT: Liverpool 1-0 West Ham
As expected this is a tough game but Liverpool have been the better side.
The reds could have a couple more goals, but Alisson hasn't been quiet in the Liverpool goal either.
West Ham will fancy their chances of getting something - the reds will want to kick on.
Goal number 1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣ at Liverpool for Sadio Mane. Only 14 men have scored more for the reds. pic.twitter.com/uf3PaZ0ktF
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) March 5, 2022
No changes at the break.
Liverpool protecting a slender one goal lead.
We're back underway. Liverpool kicking to the Kop.
48' Andy Robertson called into action to stop Jarrod Bowen getting a shot away.
Error by Virgil van Dijk heading back towards his own goal.
53' Jarrod Bowen substituted off. Takes him an age to hobble off the field with a possible knee injury.
Said Benrahma replaces him.
There is somebody in the Main Stand with an inflatable cat, aimed no doubt at well known pet botherer Kurt Zouma.
Causing much mirth in the Anfield crowd.
Reverse angle... pic.twitter.com/G3eBttPsl6
— Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) March 5, 2022
59' Spell of pressure from the reds. Robbo and Trent playing crossfield passes to each other.
Trying to force a mistake at the back. Zouma called into action there to clear.
61' Mark Noble comes on for his final appearance at Anfield. He replaces Vlasic.
64' Curler from Luis Diaz. Just wide. Reds on top here.
66' Liverpool stringing the passes out across the penalty D.
Salah swings at it left footed but Fabianski saves.
70' Double chance there for Lanzini. Soucek crosses - great control but he launches it over the bar from about 8 yards out.
Big let off for the reds.
75' Luis Diaz edge of the area. Sidesteps the ball past Noble and lashes a shot that is just off target.
Trent heavily involved in the build up to that move.
Final 15 minutes - Jota being readied to come on.
78' First change for the reds.
Mo Salah is replaced by Diogo Jota.
80' Great tackle by Naby Keita who put in a powerful run.
Took the ball off Antonion who had just gone past Andy Robertson.
Into the final few minutes, although some injury time is to be expected after Jarrod Bowen's injury.
Milner about to come on.
90' Naby Keita is going off to be replaced by James Milner.
Diogo Jota is given a yellow card for a foul on Fornals.
90+5' Curtis Jones on for Diaz. Sadio Mane booked for a professional foul.
Almost over.
FT: Liverpool 1-0 West Ham
A 12th win for Liverpool. They move to within 3 points of Man City.
That was a hard fought, but deserved win for the reds.
Virgil van Dijk has never lost a Premier League game at Anfield with Liverpool.
He sets a new record of 60 games.
Incredible stat.
At least one team from Merseyside will definitely be playing Premier League football next season.
Liverpool officially safe from relegation now. ???? pic.twitter.com/pkChrm092W
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) March 5, 2022
Not much rest for the reds. They have 72 hours and 15 minutes before they kick off again at Anfield.
They welcome Italian Champions Inter Milan for the 2nd leg of the Champions League last 16 round. The reds have a two goal advantage heading into that tie.
Can the reds make it to the last 8 of the Champions League?
And can Man United possibly do Liverpool a favour tomorrow against Man City? Unlikely - but you never know.
