"Got another cold?", "Where tf is he" - Fans react as Liverpool star absent from squad for West Ham clash

Many Liverpool fans online questioned the absence of Federico Chiesa from the starting lineup against West Ham United on Sunday (December 29). The game at the London Stadium will be the last Premier League match of the year for both sides.

For this match, Arne Slot has gone with a 4-2-3-1 formation. With Alisson Becker in between the sticks, the Liverpool backline consists of Andrew Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. In the defensive midfield position, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch act as a double pivot with Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, and Mohamed Salah ahead of them. Luis Diaz is the lone striker in the front for the Reds.

Federico Chiesa joined the club from Juventus in the summer for a reported €12 million transfer price. However, he has mostly been on the treatment table since his arrival. The Italian winger was out for 72 days because of a muscle injury in September, missing 15 games for Liverpool.

Fans on X have questioned the Italian's absence in the starting lineup against West Ham. One user sarcastically asked whether he had a cold.

"Chiesa got another cold?" wrote the fan on X.

"Where tf is Chiesa," interrogated another.

One fan quipped about the incident, writing:

"Chiesa 😂 what we saying "minor illness" again? Maybe mix it up and use a Klopp favourite for Naby and Ox: "Just felt a muscle a bit in last session""

"Chiesa gone missing again," declared another user on X.

"The money spent on him (wages and transfer fee) and others who never play for the LFC could so easily be aggregated to give the likes of Mo, VVD more or spend higher on bigger transfer fees," one fan added.

"Fitness most likely bro," inferred another.

So far, Chiesa has played just four games for Arne Slot's side, registering a solitary assist.

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An overview of Liverpool's clash with West Ham United in numbers

Mohamed Salah - Premier League - Source: Getty

Liverpool have arguably been the best European side this season. Under their new manager Arne Slot, the Reds have lost just one game across competitions.

With 42 points in 17 games, the Merseysiders are at the summit of the Premier League table. They have also maintained a perfect record in the UEFA Champions League - winning all six group games and sitting atop the table with 18 points. West Ham, on the other hand, are 13th in the league table and haven't been at their best this season under coach Julen Lopetegui.

The Reds have the edge over the Hammers in head-to-head statistics. In 151 games, Liverpool have won 84 as opposed to West Ham United's 29 victories. In their last 16 Premier League matches against Liverpool, West Ham United have registered only one win. The only victory was a 3-2 home win in November 2021.