One-sided at Anfield

IF the betting market is right, there’s a greater than 80 per cent chance that the 2018/19 Premier League champions kick-off their campaign today.

Settle down Arsenal fans.

Liverpool beat West Ham 4-1 twice last season, but if you’re toying with the idea of 12/1 for the ‘same again’ scoreline at Anfield (1.30pm) have a gentle word with yourself.

One, it’s a rotten price. Two, those 4-1 wallopings might as well have been Rumbelows Cup ties played on a plastic pitch in the Land of Narnia, for all the weight we can happily give that form now.

The Hammers have been transformed. Into what, remains to be seen. New boss, upwards of £100million splurged, nine new players in, half a dozen out, plus loan shuffling everywhere. If you know what happens next, tell Manuel Pellegrini (above), as the suspense is putting him off his weetybangs. The old Irons leaked like a sieve, but getting with Liverpool scorers today means bending over for bad prices, and that’s no way to start a season. There does look to be some meat left on the ‘Liverpool win to nil’ at 6/5. The Reds kept clean sheets in 12 of 18 home games last season, winning nine ‘to nil’, and Pellegrini’s instinct for promoting flair could backfire here. Last week: Winner at 3/1