Facing the most difficult test of their EFL Cup credentials, an out-of-sorts West Ham United side seek a major upset when they meet reigning champions Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday evening.
The Hammers overcame Bournemouth 1-0 in the second round to set up another all-Premier League affair, but they head to Merseyside on the back of a humbling 3-0 home loss to London rivals Chelsea.
In contrast, Liverpool - who overcame the Blues in the 2023-24 final - were 3-0 victors over Bournemouth in the weekend's Premier League battle, and the Reds are gunning for a record-extending 11th EFL Cup title under Arne Slot.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.
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Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 150
Liverpool wins: 83
Draws: 38
West Ham wins: 29
When Liverpool and West Ham clashed at the London Stadium in April 2024, that Premier League showdown represented the 150th competitive meeting between the two sides, and the Reds are way out in front with 83 wins compared to the Irons' 29, while there have been an additional 38 draws.
A few months ago, West Ham put a serious dent in the Reds' title aspirations by holding them to a 2-2 draw in the capital, although it was an off-the-pitch incident which made the most headlines, as Mohamed Salah and Jurgen Klopp engaged in a touchline spat before the former came on as a substitute.
However, things were much rosier for Klopp and co in this fixture in December 2023, as West Ham travelled to Anfield for the quarter-finals of last season's EFL Cup and were dismantled in a 5-1 Merseyside mauling, before the Reds went on to win title number 10 in this competition.
Ex-Irons boss David Moyes slammed his side's defending after that humiliating result, albeit while also justifying his decision to make rotations in abundance, as Liverpool stretched their winning streak over West Ham to five games before seeing that sequence snapped in the spring.
The London Stadium was the scene of Liverpool's most recent defeat to West Ham, who benefitted from an early Alisson Becker own goal in a 3-2 victory in November 2021, although that is their only success against the Reds from their last 17 attempts.
The former Europa Conference League winners have to go back to August 2015 for their most recent victory over Liverpool at Anfield, where a Slaven Bilic side crushed Brendan Rodgers's Reds 3-0, and the Irons often had Liverpool's number during that period.
Indeed, West Ham won four, drew two and lost just one of their seven games against Liverpool between September 2014 and December 2016, and they also held the Reds to a 1-1 draw in the 1980-81 EFL Cup final, but goals from Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen saw the Merseyside titans get the job done in the replay.
Liverpool men also dominate the documented goalscorers column, and no player has scored more in this fixture than Salah (11), while John Toshack (10), Steven Gerrard (nine), Roger Hunt and Ian Rush (both eight) also haunted the Hammers down the years.
Last 20 meetings
Apr 27, 2024: West Ham 2-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dec 20, 2023: Liverpool 5-1 West Ham (EFL Cup Quarter-Finals)
Sep 24, 2023: Liverpool 3-1 West Ham (Premier League)
Apr 26, 2023: West Ham 1-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Oct 19, 2022: Liverpool 1-0 West Ham (Premier League)
Mar 05, 2022: Liverpool 1-0 West Ham (Premier League)
Nov 07, 2021: West Ham 3-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Jan 31, 2021: West Ham 1-3 Liverpool (Premier League)
Oct 31, 2020: Liverpool 2-1 West Ham (Premier League)
Feb 24, 2020: Liverpool 3-2 West Ham (Premier League)
Jan 29, 2020: West Ham 0-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Feb 04, 2019: West Ham 1-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Aug 12, 2018: Liverpool 4-0 West Ham (Premier League)
Feb 24, 2018: Liverpool 4-1 West Ham (Premier League)
Nov 04, 2017: West Ham 1-4 Liverpool (Premier League)
May 14, 2017: West Ham 0-4 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dec 11, 2016: Liverpool 2-2 West Ham (Premier League)
Feb 09, 2016: West Ham 2-1 Liverpool (FA Cup Fourth Round)
Jan 30, 2016: Liverpool 0-0 West Ham (FA Cup Fourth Round)
Jan 02, 2016: West Ham 2-0 Liverpool (Premier League)
Previous EFL Cup meetings
Dec 20, 2023: Liverpool 5-1 West Ham (EFL Cup Quarter-Finals)
Nov 30, 1988: West Ham 4-1 Liverpool (EFL Cup Fourth Round)
Jan 18, 1983: Liverpool 3-1 West Ham (EFL Cup Quarter-Finals)
Apr 1, 1981: Liverpool 2-1 West Ham (EFL Cup Final Replay)
Mar 14, 1981: Liverpool 1-1 West Ham (EFL Cup Final)
Oct 29, 1973: Liverpool 1-0 West Ham (EFL Cup Second Round Replay)
Oct 8, 1973: West Ham 2-2 Liverpool (EFL Cup Second Round)
Oct 27, 1971: West Ham 2-1 Liverpool (EFL Cup Fourth Round)
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Ben Knapton
