West Ham to carry on waiting for first Premier League win at Liverpool

Anfield: the final frontier.

West Ham have prevailed at the home of every member of the Premier League ever-present society aside from Liverpool and, given that the Reds have taken to mauling top-tier also-rans on Merseyside, another winless visit is in store.

A wait spanning two decades is almost certain to lengthen according to Coral, slapping an enormous 10/1 price tag on the Hammers to triumph, with Brendan Rodgers’ men weighing at 2/7 and the draw an unlikely 4/1 alternative.

The Hammers managed to achieve the third feat in the reciprocating fixture last term, holding the hosts to a goalless draw, but Liverpool’s frenzied devouring of all things loitering around the division’s lower echelons of late sparks serious doubt that the visitors will be able to do so again.

The top-four chasing hosts have won four games on the spin on the homestead, racking up a scary total of 16 goals.

West Ham aren’t exactly porous on their travels, keeping five clean sheets in eight away games in all competitions, but they allowed Norwich three goals on their penultimate road trip and Man City demonstrated how a vicious front-line can decimate the meanest defences around in their 6-0 demolition of Tottenham recently.

All of this points to a wager on the still generously-priced 3/1 in favour of Liverpool notching more than 3.5 goals on their own in this one.

The bulk of these goals, though, are likely to flow following a half-time intake of vitamin C, for the Irons’ backline has surrendered but two goals in the first 45 minutes of their away games this term.

At 12/5, over 2.5 second-half goals contributed in total looks a tasty price given West Ham’s early-days frugality.

Finally, a punt on loveable Luis Suarez to find the net at some stage simply has to be entertained, regardless of the price.

It’s a measly 8/13 as it happens, but that shouldn’t perturb potential backers, knowing that the Uruguayan has fired 10 goals in the Reds’ previous four home outings.