Nuno Espirito Santo recalls Todibo in change of formation – West Ham predicted XI vs Liverpool
Nuno Espirito Santo is likely to leave the majority of his starting line-up unchanged when West Ham face Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.
The Hammers frustratingly drew 0-0 with Bournemouth at the London Stadium last Saturday, and their next test certainly won’t be straightforward either.
Nuno now faces up against Arne Slot’s Liverpool, who have won their last two league games and are chasing a top-five finish in the Premier League.
While the match will prove to be tough for the Hammers, Nuno will certainly trust his core group of players, and this may include recalling Jean-Clair Todibo to the team.
Jean Clair-Todibo set to replace Soungoutou Magassa
Todibo has impressed this campaign and he has improved massively after his lacklustre performances during the 2024-25 season.
The French centre-back has come a long way in a West Ham shirt, with supporters finally able to see what he brings to the team under Nuno’s stewardship.
According to Sofascore, he has won 60.4 per cent of his ground duels in the top flight this season, which shows how well he has improved from last year’s total of 56.2 per cent.
| Stat | Todibo |
| Appearances | 18 |
| Ground duels won | 60.4% |
| Aerial duels won | 46.3% |
| Tackles | 34 |
| Recoveries | 76 |
However, after being sent off in the 3-2 loss to Chelsea in January, he served a three-game ban for his violent conduct towards striker Joao Pedro.
The 26-year-old may have been on the bench against Bournemouth, but he could be set for a starting role on Saturday.
Nuno may revert to a back five to fight off Liverpool’s dangerous attack, which means that Todibo would come in for midfielder Soungoutou Magassa.
The Portuguese head coach shouldn’t feel the need to change the rest of his side, as they have proven their fighting spirit over the last month.
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West Ham finally have centre-backs they can count on
For many years, and even for large parts of this season, the Hammers have been woeful defensively.
However, after securing their first league clean sheet under Nuno against the Cherries, it’s evident that the centre-backs are finally stepping up.
The loan signing of Axel Disasi has provided stability and physicality to the defence, while Konstantinos Mavropanos has put his bad run of form in the past.
Of course, they’ll have to be incredibly alert throughout the 90 minutes against Liverpool, but it’s clear that fans are starting to believe in their backline.
A strong performance from all three centre-backs could mean the Hammers leave Anfield with a positive result, which would be crucial in their attempt to stay in the Premier League.
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