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Michail Antonio predicts West Ham United will finish above Liverpool in Premier League
Michail Antonio has said that he believes West Ham United will finish above Liverpool this season ahead of the clash between the two teams.
The Hammers tasted defeat for the first time this season on Saturday (16 September) when they were beaten 3-1 by reigning Champions Manchester City, but their performance still earned plenty of praise with there being little shame in losing to Pep Guardiola’s side.
With David Moyes’ side set to face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday (24 September) following both teams’ first matches of the Europa League season, the Jamaican international believes the Irons will better Jurgen Klopp’s side this season.
Speaking on Footballer’s Football on Monday (18 September) he said: “I am backing myself over Liverpool. You know what, I think we are going to finish higher than Liverpool this season. I’m putting it out there.
“I watched the game [Wolves v Liverpool] because it was before our game and Wolves could have run away with it. They had quite a few opportunities. We’ve got them this weekend and it’s a six-pointer.”
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West Ham have started the season excellently and there is confidence flowing through the squad and rightly so, but the Hammers can’t allow that confidence to become arrogance as otherwise results may start to tail off.
The game against Manchester City emphasised that no matter how good Moyes’ side is, there is still a clear gap between them and the best team in the division. Although Liverpool haven’t been as good as the champions this season, they’re still yet to lose in the Premier League.
But if the Irons do have ambitions of qualifying for Europe once again this season, they’ll likely be competing with the Reds for the top six places and a win over Klopp’s side would certainly give them an upper hand in that race.
September does feel too early for talk of six-pointers and European deciders however and it is more than likely this result alone will not decide which of West Ham or Liverpool finish higher this season. Antonio’s confidence will certainly ruffle a few feathers when the Hammers head to Merseyside this week.
In other West Ham news, Alphonse Areola earned a Premier League record in the defeat to Manchester City