Nuno suggests a depleted West Ham squad as Liverpool look for a crucial boost

 

 

 

Liverpool’s build-up to a season-shaping clash with West Ham has received a slight boost after the London side delivered an uncertain fitness update on two key players ahead of Sunday’s encounter.

 

Speaking on West Ham’s official channels, Nuno Espirito Santo revealed that Crysencio Summerville and Dinos Mavropanos are both doubtful, with final decisions to be made following last-minute assessments.

 

“Both players are improving,” said the Hammers boss. “We still have tomorrow to evaluate them properly, so we’ll wait before making our final call.”

 

Summerville missed their draw against Bournemouth after featuring in eight straight Premier League matches, while Mavropanos hasn’t featured since picking up a leg injury against Brentford on October 20.

 

Ollie Scarles is still unavailable, and although Niclas Füllkrug made his return last weekend, his playing time is expected to be limited.

 

For a Liverpool side desperate for any edge after losing six of their last seven league games, this development has come at a crucial time.

 

There has also been some positive news on the Reds’ end, with encouraging updates regarding Alisson and Florian Wirtz adding a hint of optimism at a critical stage of the campaign.

 

Jamie Carragher has highlighted the scale of the pressure on Arne Slot, stating that anything less than seven points from the next three fixtures would make an already dire situation impossible to sustain.

 

Slot’s second season has grown increasingly difficult, made worse by a draining Champions League loss to PSV and consecutive domestic disappointments.

 

Errors at the back, wasted chances in front of goal, and persistent injury problems have seen Liverpool slip to 12th in the standings — wiping away the confidence built from last season’s Premier League triumph.

 

Victory at the London Stadium is now viewed as non-negotiable, and the uncertainty within Nuno’s squad offers a small but potentially decisive advantage.

 

If Summerville and Mavropanos are ruled out, Liverpool would be facing a weakened West Ham side at a time when every detail could decide the manager’s future.

 

With Carragher’s warning looming, this match is being seen as the moment Arne Slot must prove he can drag the club out of its darkest spell in decades.

 

In a situation as tight as this, every minor benefit matters — and this latest update from Nuno might just be the opening Liverpool needs.