Mark Lawrenson predicts Liverpool clash with West Ham, slates club mentality
By Amir Mir
Mark Lawrenson has predicted Liverpool to record a 1-1 draw against West Ham on Sunday afternoon at the London Stadium.
The BBC Sports pundit slated the Reds’ mentality as they aim to secure a Champions League place at the end of the season.
Lawrenson was not “convinced” that his former club will secure a top-four spot, a position they currently occupy.
Liverpool have struggled against teams that are outside of the top six, this was proven when they recorded a goalless draw against Southampton last time out.
He offered a critical verdict of Jurgen Klopp’s team as he believes they will pick up only one point on the road.
“As I have said, I think Liverpool will need to win their final two games to make the top four ,” Lawrenson told BBC Sports. “But I am just not convinced they will do it. I don’t think they will get three points against West Ham for starters.
“If Liverpool do fall short, it will be because of their mentality. They play as if they will always create chances, so can be somewhat wasteful – but that is not the case. There is something missing with their attack at the moment.”
The likes of Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Burnley and Swansea have all beaten Liverpool this season, with two of those teams fighting relegation.
Slaven Bilic’s team also picked up a point against their weekend opponents when the duo met in December during the reverse fixture.
Now, they will be hoping to build on their impressive performance against London rivals Tottenham last Friday when they recorded a 1-0 win.
Playmaker Manuel Lanzini scored the only goal of the game as they all but ended Spurs’ Premier League title hopes.
Klopp will be hoping, the Hammers don’t damage their top-four hopes as the chasing pack, who play the day before the Reds, can close the gap on them in the table.
In other Liverpool news, a Sky Sports pundit has also predicted the Reds clash against West Ham.
We’ve launched a << BREAKING NEWS FEED>> exclusively for your club. ‘Like Us’ on Facebook by clicking here if you want 24/7 updates on all Liverpool breaking news.