After maintaining their 100% record in the Champions League this season with the 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid in midweek, Liverpool are back in Premier League action on Sunday with a tough fixture against West Ham United, who are currently fourth in the table, just two points behind the Reds.

Thiago must start

Looking ahead to the match against David Moyes' side, one Liverpool player who we think should be in the running for a place in the starting XI on Sunday is Thiago Alcantara.

After missing a significant number of games in recent weeks with a calf injury, the midfielder made his return to action in midweek after replacing Fabinho in the second half against Atletico.

During his time on the pitch in midweek, the 30-year-old - who has been described as "unbelievable" in terms of his technical abilities in the past by fellow Liverpool teammate Nat Phillips - had 57 touches of the ball. He also completed 46 of his 53 passes - with one key pass, one accurate cross and four accurate long balls - as well as completing one accurate dribble, showing how intricate a midfield asset he can be for the Reds and illustrating why Phillips praised his technical capabilities.

This could make him a key component of Liverpool's team at the weekend considering that West Ham have conceded more goals (11) than any other team in the current top four and could be susceptible to Thiago's creative talents, with the 30-year-old frightening them to some extent.

Furthermore, the Spaniard won two out of his three duels and made one interception on Wednesday night. With West Ham scoring 20 goals in 10 league games, this highlights how important it will be for Liverpool to keep possession and remain defensively tight throughout the game.

Overall, if Thiago is fit enough to start at the weekend, we think he would give Liverpool a great chance of beating the Hammers and keeping up with Chelsea at the top of the table.

Also, with Liverpool having Naby Keita and James Milner ruled out with hamstring injuries, it seems as though now would be the best time for Thiago to cement his place in the team for the foreseeable future.

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