Liverpool 5-2 West Ham: Goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Codi Gakpo gave Arne Slott’s side their third consecutive Premier League win.
Virgil van Dijk is back on the scoresheet (Image: Paul ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool moved into the top five with a 5-2 home victory over West Ham. The Reds have boosted their Champions League hopes while ensuring Nuno Espirito Santo’s side remain in the relegation zone.
Arne Slott described his team’s first-half performance against Nottingham Forest last weekend as “the worst I’ve ever played”, but it was a different story at Anfield. The Reds took a 1-0 lead with a goal from Hugo Ekitike.
Virgil van Dijk quickly doubled Liverpool’s advantage and continued his impressive goalscoring run. But West Ham were in the game and had a chance to fight back.
The Irons’ hopes looked to have been dashed when Alexis Mac Allister made it 3-0 before half-time, but Tomas Soucek pulled a goal back shortly after the break. However, Kodi Gakpo’s strike and own goal secured the three points.
Here are five stories from Anfield.
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1. Liverpool’s lightning start
Liverpool, who were sent off quite late against Forest, wasted no time in trying to break the deadlock here. West Ham were the first to respond to a corner kick in the fifth minute, only for Ryan Gravenbirch to collect the ball on the edge of the penalty area.
Grafenwerch played the ball to Ekitike, who found space and fired a shot past Mads Hermansen following a deflection from Konstantinos Mavropanos. The Frenchman celebrated before kick-off by giving a thumbs-up to the Kop, where the new flag was unfurled.
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Hugo Ekitike put Liverpool ahead within five minutes (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
2. Van Dijk continues his good form
You can’t take him off the scoresheet. No, not Equitique, Van Dijk!
The Liverpool captain headed home his third goal in six Premier League games, doubling the Reds’ lead in the 24th minute. Once again, West Ham failed to respond to a corner kick, which proved fatal.
There was a brief VAR check for offside due to Joe Gomez’s position, but the goal was allowed. Liverpool were in the mood to score goals.
Virgil van Dijk has scored three goals in his last six Premier League games (Image: Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
3. West Ham’s set-piece problems
The Reds had time to try for another goal before half-time, but it came from, you guessed it, a corner kick. As the interval approached and West Ham still had a chance of playing, Liverpool put the nail in the coffin.
Mo Salah’s shot was mistakenly deflected at the back post by Jarrod Bowen, and Ekitike pushed his volley back to Mac Allister in Acre’s space. The midfielder then fired a volley of his own, past Hermansen.
It was exactly the kind of first half Liverpool needed after Slott scheduled the opening 45 minutes at the City Ground. However, everything went wrong for West Ham.
West Ham concede 3 goals from corners (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
4. Gakpo returns to goal
Liverpool came close to winning several times after Soucek’s goal, leaving victory in jeopardy. However, Gakpo, who almost missed a shot early in the second half, eased the fears of the home crowd with his first goal in eight league games.
Ekitike provided another assist, but it was the Dutch international who did the hard work. Gakpo brilliantly ended his drought by cutting inside with his right foot before forcing Aaron Wan-Bissaka to his feet.
However, West Ham did not give up. Valentin Castellanos scored his sixth goal of the game and his fourth from a corner kick to restore a two-goal deficit. However, it was too little, too late as Axel DiSasi’s own goal made it 5-2.
A good goal from Kodi Gakpo made it 4-1 (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
5. Iron revival has stopped.
It was only West Ham’s second defeat in seven league games, but it was three games without a win for the Irons, who are two points clear of safety. West Ham supporters will be worried that the gap will widen even further on Sunday, as the two teams immediately above them, Tottenham and Forest, have appointed managers.
Santo’s side were by no means beaten by Liverpool, but they paid the price for their defensive laxity. Things are not so easy for West Ham. Next up, Fulham must be at home to Manchester City before facing Brentford in the FA Cup fifth round.
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