Evening ladies and gents. This afternoon's Premier League action has been a little underwhelming so far but hopefully things will take a turn for the better as the great entertainers that are Liverpool travel to a West Ham team who are in desperate need of a win for their manager. Team news coming up...

WEST HAM: Hart; Kouyate, Reid, Ogbonna; Fernandes, Noble, Obiang, Cresswell; Lanzini, Ayew, Chicarito
Subs: Adrian, Rice, Massuaku, Haksabanovic, Arnautovic, Carroll, Sakho

LIVERPOOL: Mignolet; Gomez, Matip, Klavan, Moreno; Can, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Mane, Firmino
Subs: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Milner, Grujic, Sturridge, Solanke

A massive boost for Liverpool as Sadio Mane comes back into the team after a month out with a hamstring injury. The Senegal international only returned to training this week and was expected to feature from the bench - at best - today but Jurgen Klopp has thrown him straight back in the starting XI.

That's the good news for Liverpool fans, with the bad news being that captain Jordan Henderson misses out with a thigh injury. Georginio Wijnaldum is fit after an ankle concern, but James Milner drops out so there is a first Premier League start for the club for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in central midfield.

Simon Mignolet is the perhaps surprise replacement for Henderson as Liverpool skipper.

Daniel Sturridge must be disappointment to miss out on the starting XI after two goals in as many games. Roberto Firmino is preferred to lead the line, flanked by the frightening pace twins of Mane and Mohamed Salah - another blow to Sturridge after he was dropped from the England squad this week.

Elsewhere, there are two more changes from the Champions League win over Maribor on Wednesday, with Simon Mignolet and Joe Gomez regaining their places from Loris Karius and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Dejan Lovren is fit enough to be in the squad, but Ragnar Klavan keeps his place in defence.

Slaven Bilic makes two changes from the West Ham team which were denied victory in the last second by Crystal Palace - both enforced with Jose Fonte injured and Pablo Zabaleta injured. Winston Reid returns and Pedro Obiang comes into midfield, with Cheikhou Kouyaté dropping into the back three.

The villain of the piece at Selhurst Park - Michail Antonio, with his casual cross from which Palace countered for their 96th-minute leveller - misses out today with injury. Javier Hernandez is up front on his own, with Bilic resisting the temptation to partner him with substitute Andy Carroll.

With Antonio, Zabeleta and Sam Byram all on unavailable, Bilic appears to be using Edmilson Fernandes as a makeshift wing-back. Liverpool may look to exploit the space in behind the 21-year-old Swiss, with Mane's pace and the in-form Alberto Moreno surging up the flank from left-back.

Wednesday's victory in Europe means that Liverpool have recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since August. They have only done that once in the league this season - when wins over Crystal Palace and Arsenal saw them tipped as potential champions.

The Reds have since been struck with a harsh dose of reality, and it impossible to maintain a title challenge with their defensive problems, on the road at least. Liverpool's total of 15 away goals conceded - from only five games - is the worst in the top flight. They have only conceded one goal in the same amount of games at Anfield, but do not have that home comfort today.

Liverpool were relegated the last time they had conceded more goals in their opening five away league games - in 1953-54. There is obviously no danger of a repeat this season, but it does illustrate just how shocking a record that is for a supposed top six side.

Dejan Lovren has been made a scapegoat for these defensive problems, with some but not complete justification. The Croatian has just been voted Liverpool's joint player of the month for October as Reds fans showed their support after his family were sent death threats on social media.

Three-goal Mohamed Salah was the more deserving playing he shared the prize with.

Speaking of Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian equalled an unwanted record for Liverpool last weekend, with his penalty miss the 34th by a Liverpool player in Premier League history, which is now as many as Arsenal.

James Milner also bottled it from the spot in the Champions League this week, meaning the Reds have missed three out of their four penalties this campaign.

This leaves Klopp with a dilemma of who might step up if Liverpool win a penalty tonight, and the chances are reasonably strong. West Ham have conceded four pens this season - twice as many as any other team in the division and they have all been scored.

The England striker, although not as of this week, has an excellent scoring record against West Ham, bursting their bubble five times in seven matches. Mane's return has left him sidelined today though, and that might give Sturridge food for transfer thought with the World Cup on the horizon.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was another Liverpool casualty of Southgate's squad, which was somehow both adventurous and uninspiring in equal measure. The former Arsenal midfielder finally gets his Liverpool chance today, proving that only Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Henderson have to be injured for him to get in the side. He will have to play very well to stay there.

One player who is still firmly in Southgate's plans is West Ham goalkeeper Joe Hart, who showed the form which made him England's number-one in the 2-2 draw with Palace, which left him devastated after Wilfried Zaha's last-gasp equaliser.

There may be more pain for him this evening, as his 29 goals conceded in 17 Premier League games against Liverpool is five more than he has let in against any other side during his career.

In the other box, quite literally, Javier Hernandez scored only his second goal since August to give West Ham the lead in the London derby. The former Manchester United striker now has 41 Premier League goals, all from inside the area. #poacher

Just in behind the Mexican, Andre Ayew is coming into some form. The Frenchman has three goals in his last two games - as many as he managed in his previous 16 outings. West Ham have not lost in any of the last five games in which he has scored.

With two of the division's worst defences on show, you might be expecting a high-scoring affair this evening. West Ham will be hoping not, however, as seven of their nine Premier League wins at the London Stadium have been by a 1-0 scoreline.

Slaven Bilic was reportedly given last week's two games to save his job, and here he is, still standing. The Hammers boss admits that his job remains under threat, but is confident that he can turn things around.

He is quoted by BBC Sport as saying: "Yes, of course I need something personally. I am in a position I don't want to be in. I have been there for quite a time now. I do think I can turn it around, otherwise I wouldn't be here."

Liverpool at home might usually be seen as a free swing, but you feel Bilic needs something from this game. Lose today and West Ham will stay on nine points - the last time they had fewer than 10 after 11 league games was in the 2010-11 season, when they went down.

The omens aren't great for Bilic based on last season's home performances against the top six. They collected three points from a possible 18 - beating Tottenham 1-0 - and lost the other five matches by an aggregate of 17-2, including a 4-0 thrashing by Liverpool.

RESULTS: After Stoke's 2-2 draw with Leicester in the lunchtime kickoff, it was a low-key set of 3pm fixtures, all of which were decided by a single goal: Huddersfield 1-0 West Brom; Newcastle 0-1 Bournemouth; Southampton 0-1 Burnley; Swansea 0-1 Brighton.

Will it be a super Saturday at the London Stadium, where the goals flow as the golds did back at the 2012 Olympics?

HEAD TO HEAD: That 4-0 win at the London Stadium was Liverpool's biggest over West Ham for 41 years, but their recent record against the Irons is not wholly encouraging. That is their only win in the last six contests between these two sides in all competitions.

None of the last 12 Premier League meetings in east London have been drawn - West Ham have four victories and Liverpool eight since a 1-1 draw in December 2001, when Michael Owen's 88th-minute strike cancelled out Trevor Sinclair's effort.

PREDICTION: In our Sports Mole vote, 60% of you believe that Liverpool will come away with three points this evening and I am in agreement. The Reds will have too much pace and energy for the Hammers - 3-1.

The players are ready to go, but first will observe a minute's silence, on West Ham's last Saturday home game before Rememberance Day. Hammers co-chairman David Gold lays a wreath of poppies in the centre circle.

KICKOFF: The action is underway, with Liverpool in their changed bright orange strip...

A sore one early for Moreno, who is studded by Obiang. Ten minutes later and we are talking blatant yellow card. Salah whips in the resultant free kick, which somehow reaches Firmino at the back post and Hart has to be off his line quickly to block from a tight angle.

© Offside

Liverpool often come flying out of the blocks but this game has started at quite a slow pace. After their early set-piece scare, West Ham have settled into their shape, with the wing-backs deep alongside the back three.

Cresswell gets forward down the left but is tackled well on a couple of occasions by Joe Gomez, called into the senior England squad for the first time this week. This is his sixth straight Premier League start at right-back, but Gareth Southgate may want to take a look at him in the centre.

WOODWORK! West Ham come within inches of opening the scoring! Lanzini's through-pass takes a deflection which loops up perfectly for Ayew to run onto. He is in on goal, and lifts it over the onrushing Mignolet, but off the outside of the post.

Gomez is caught daudling on the ball and Lanzini nicks it off him, forcing the Reds defender into a foul on the halfway line to stop the West Ham counter. Again referee Neil Swarbrick keeps his cards in his pocket.

Hernandez is blatantly fouled by Matip on the edge of the Liverpool box, but nothing is given and Liverpool break through Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose through pass to Mane is way overhit.

Chicharito has limped off that kick to the shin to continue, with Andy Carroll waiting in the wings, jogging up and down the touchline. The powerful target man scored just 11 goals in 58 games for the Reds.

Seventeen minutes in and this game has barely got going. The tempo is very low, which is so unlike Liverpool, and West Ham are breaking up play when they can but are not countering with any pace or threat when they get the ball.

Mane and Salah have been very quiet thus far - it surely won't stay like that for long - but West Ham are operating deep and therefore there is little space in behind for them to run into.

The commentator's curse strikes West Ham as Liverpool take the lead with a devastating counter attack. The goal comes from a West Ham corner, but a weak Fernandes challenge in the Liverpool half leaves Cresswell isolated three on one and Mane eventually slides in Salah for his 11th of the season.

This game had been lifeless in the opening 20 minutes and suddenly Liverpool are 2-0 up. A corner flicked on at the near post takes a deflection off Noble and forces Hart into a good reaction save, from which Matip is the quickest to respond to tap home the rebound from close range.

© Offside

What a nightmare three minutes for West Ham, who seemed to be well set up and in control of Liverpool's attacking firepower before two pieces of very lazy defending which will leave Bilic furious. It is difficult when conceding goals like that to argue that this West Ham team is playing for their manager.

This match is now perfectly set up for Liverpool as West Ham will have to come at them, leaving holes which Salah and Mane can find on the counter as well as anybody. The Reds had shown no quality whatsoever prior to that opening goal, with West Ham to blame for their own downfall.

Lanzini has been the one bright spark for West Ham so far, picking up the ball in dangerous areas but not as of yet finding a killer pass. The Hammers will know that they can get the nerves of this Liverpool defence jangling if they pull one back, but they don't look likely at present.

Liverpool are keeping the ball comfortably across the back with minimal pressure from the West Ham forwards. One fair criticism of the Irons all season is a lack of energy and effort - and that comes from the players, not Bilic.

Promising opening for West Ham as Lanzini goes past Wijnaldum and tees up Noble for a shooting chance, but the home captain lets the opportunity go by as he chooses to instead pass into a crowded box.

YELLOW! Noble goes into the book for simulation as he tries to buy a foul under the challenge of Joel Matip. The Hammers captain has a bit of a holier than thou reputation in the professional game, but desperate men do desperate things.

What is so noticeable is how differently the two teams react to losing the ball. Liverpool are on their toes, eager to win it back while West Ham's players skulk and labour after the ball with mush less vigour.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has been quiet but is presented with a crossing opportunity from Salah's good work in the corner. Firmino is in the middle but the Ox's centre is intercepted by Ogbonna at the near post.

Salah is sent on his bike by Oxlade-Chamberlain down the right channel, but a heavy touch from the Egyptian gives Reid the opportunity to come across and thwart the danger at the expense of a corner.

Hart claims the corner and immediately releases Hernandez with a throw, but a heavy touch from the Mexican sees the ball come straight back West Ham's way. That is not the type of service that Hernandez wants. He isn't suited to playing on his own and would be much more effective playing off Carroll.

Lanzini wildly slashes a left-footed shot over the crossbar from 25 yards out to end the half.

Boos echo around the London Stadium upon the half-time whistle. The restlessness was growing with every backwards pass and every loss of possession and the West Ham fans let their feelings known as the players left the field.

Liverpool have shown just as little quality, aside from a perfect counter-attack for the first goal. That Mane and Salah combination is nearly unstoppable in full flow and the returning Senegalese charged 70 yards and timed his pass perfectly for Salah to finish past Joe Hart.

On the other hand, Bilic will be furious that the two wingers were allowed to run at his goal without a challenge. Fernandes's attempt at a tackle midway in the Liverpool half was incredibly poor and then there was little desire to get back and help the isolated Cresswell.

That will be the biggest concern for Bilic - that his side are showing very little energy, very little effort to win the ball back and complete fear both with and without the ball. The signs are not good for the Hammers, or their manager with co-owner David Gold in attendance for this one.

STAT: West Ham have not won a league game at the London Stadium after conceding the first goal. However, they did come from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham in the EFL Cup last week, so there is always hope.

Bilic has got to get Andy Carroll on. Going direct is the only way that they are going to ask questions of this Liverpool defence because, if they try to play their way through the visitors, they are going to be picked off on the break by Salah and co. and the scoreline could get embarrassing.

KICKOFF: The second half is underway and Carroll is ON for West Ham, in place of opening goal culprit Fernandes. That will surely see a switch to 4-4-2, with the versatile Kouyate at right-back.

YELLOW! Reid makes sure that West Ham aren't caught out by another Liverpool break from a corner as he hacks down Mane and picks up a very deserved booking.

Salah lays the ball off for Mane, who tries to bend a first-time shot into the top corner from 20 yards but sends it high and wide. It will be interesting to see how much longer Klopp gives the forward on his return from injury.

With Carroll on the pitch, the Hammers have found it easier to keep the ball in the Liverpool half. Their delivery from the wide areas and set pieces needs to be better than it has been so far though.

Noble is finding himself a target of the home fans here, and I can understand their frustration. Every time he gets the ball it seems to go backwards. He may not have had many runners in the first half but now that Carroll is on he has no excuse.

Crucial interception from Reid to cut out a through pass destined for Firmino.

Lanzini pulls one back for West Ham, holding off the timid challenge of Gomez at the back post with some great chest control from Ayew's cross, and finishing smartly inside the post with the outside of his foot.

Straight from kickoff, Liverpool restore their two-goal lead courtesy of Oxlade-Chamberlain's maiden Premier League goal for the Reds. It is really good play from Firmino in the build up, turning away from Reid and playing in the midfielder, who puts in the rebound after his initial shot is saved by Hart.

Bilic's blood must be boiling right now - 57 seconds between the two goals.

MISS! Lanzini should score again as Carroll keeps the ball alive in the box and works it to the Argentine, who skies over the crossbar on his left foot from eight yards out.

That Liverpool reply does not seem to have quashed the West Ham momentum too much. A sloppy pass from Klavan puts Mignolet in trouble and, running across his own box, the goalkeeper has to get his slide tackle on Hernandez exactly right to avoid giving away a penalty.

SUBSTITUTION: Arnautovic is on for Noble and immediately joins his teammates in the box for a free kick which Lanzini delivers to the near post, where Hernandez can't get enough dip on his flick.

West Ham look way sharper since their goal, seemingly undeterred by the poor defending which restored their two-goal deficit. This Liverpool defence is very vulnerable to pressure, but the Hammers look just as likely to be unlocked again at the other end.

A rare piece of commanding goalkeeping from Mignolet as he charges off his line to catch a free kick off Carroll's head. The West Ham striker requires some treatment after an awkward landing.

A lovely flowing move started by Can and involving Oxlade-Chamberlain and Firmino results in a half chance for Mane on his left foot, but he sends a shot onto the running track with his swinger.

Good work from Arnautovic down the left as he drags back onto his right foot to stand a cross up which Hernandez heads over. The Mexican wants a penalty for a push from Klavan, and he may have a point.

CHANCE! Firmino with a chance to wrap the game up but he drags wide from 15 yards on his right foot. Ugly finish.

SUBSTITUTION: Final change for Bilic as he brings on Diafra Sakho for Hernandez.

Liverpool kill off West Ham with a second for Salah, and again it is way too easy for the visitors. Mane runs through a couple of tackles, gets off the floor and still has the time to pick out an unmarked Salah, who takes one touch and fires it across Hart with his left foot for his sixth in five games.

SUBSTITUTION: That is the last we will see of Mane tonight - a very productive 78 minutes on his return from injury. James Milner comes on, which should give Oxlade-Chamberlain a little more attacking freedom.

Arnautovic is trying to make things happen down the West Ham left but hasn't picked out a teammate in the box yet.

CHANCE! Hat-trick chance for Salah on his left foot under minimal West Ham pressure, but he shoots straight at Hart.

The West Ham fans are streaming out now, having watched another very disappointing performance from their team in which the defensive application, attacking innovation and all-round effort all left a lot to be desired.

CLOSE! West Ham's defenders are attracted to the ball and a switch of play leaves Liverpool with two free men over on the left. Milner tries to go alone but drags his shot just wide.

Liverpool's forwards are smelling blood and Firmino tries to get in on the act with a bending shot from the left side of the area which is just a few yards over the crossbar.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Double change from Klopp as Lovren and Dominic Solanke come on for Oxlade-Chamberlain and Firmino.

Solanke and Milner have both gone close in the last couple of minutes. West Ham are lucky that this hasn't got out of hand.

YELLOW! Lanzini's frustration gets the better of him as he picks up a late caution as we enter the three minutes of stoppage time. It can't end soon enough for the Hammers fans.

A third win in a row in all competitions for Liverpool sends them back into the top six, but the real story here is that awful West Ham performance and what that means for the future of manager Slaven Bilic. Personally, I'd be surprised if he makes it through the international break.

Thanks for joining Sports Mole's Premier League coverage for today - catch up on all of the match reports, including this one at the London Stadium. We are back tomorrow for coverage of three massive games - Tottenham vs. Palace, Man City vs. Arsenal and Chelsea vs. Man United. Until then, goodbye.