Liverpool V West Ham at Anfield: LIVE

29 August 2015 10:14
Liverpool V West Ham - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.

Rodgers' Reds on the defensive ahead of Hammers clash

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has paid more attention to defensive matters this season but insists it will not compromise the team's attacking fluency.

Some shaky displays at the back in the previous campaign - which culminated with them conceding three at home to Crystal Palace and six at Stoke - had prompted calls in some quarters for a specialist defensive coach to be brought in.

Rodgers was adamant that was not the solution but over the summer he has been more specific on the work he has done to tighten up his defence and has been rewarded with three successive clean sheets and a haul of seven points.

"We are doing extra sessions on every aspect of our defending in terms of in-game static and moving positions and our set-pieces," he said ahead of Saturday's Anfield date with West Ham.

"We are putting in an awful lot of work into that organisation, it is one of the things I picked up on from last season.

"We brought in a lot of players thinking they could maybe settle into it quickly but the learning aspect from that was that I needed to do more on that (defensive) front this season.

"That is something we have done. The coaches have been outstanding just making sure the players are clear in terms of their roles and responsibility both with and without the ball."

Rodgers has been boosted by the return to training this week of striker Daniel Sturridge, who has spent most of the last four months in the United States recovering from a hip operation.

The aim is to have him back in the squad by early September but Rodgers would not put a specific timeframe on the injury-plagued England international's return.

"There is no timeline on Daniel," said the Reds boss.

"He has obviously been away working in America and has come back and now it is just about him working hard to get back in to somewhere near the level of the group.

"He looks well and really excited to be back among his team-mates, so we will just have to take that week on week."

Hammers boss Slaven Bilic will demand a response from his players following last weekend's 4-3 loss to league newcomers Bournemouth.

"It is not an easy week but with a defeat like we had last week, we were gutted after the game. We have got over that and we have to bounce back," Bilic said.

"(Liverpool) are a tough team and have seven points. They have not scored so many goals but have not conceded many.

"If you see the players they have bought, they still want to be attacking and score goals.

"They have quality in every department of the pitch and are really dangerous up front.

"But we are positive as well and they have their weaknesses which we need to exploit."

West Ham are currently depleted through injury, suspension and the release of Kevin Nolan, who captained the side against Bournemouth but is now looking for a new club.

Right-back Carl Jenkinson serves a one-match ban, joining Adrian in being suspended.

Striker Diafra Sakho (groin) should be available, but Enner Valencia (leg) and Mauro Zarate (hamstring) remain out.

Andy Carroll (knee) is back in training but unlikely to be selected until after the forthcoming international break, when the Hammers face his former club Newcastle.

Defender Joey O'Brien (calf) is nearing a return, too.

Source: DSG