The West Ham vs Liverpool clash on Sunday delivered a crucial 2-0 victory for the Reds at the London Stadium. Liverpool desperately needed three points after suffering nine defeats in their past 12 games across all competitions. Manager Arne Slot made bold decisions, benching Mohamed Salah and shuffling his lineup with four changes. Consequently, summer signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz stepped up to deliver when their team needed them most.
The match started slowly, with both teams struggling to create clear chances. West Ham, managed by Nuno Espirito Santo, set up defensively to absorb pressure and counter-attack. Meanwhile, Liverpool dominated possession but found it difficult to break through the compact Hammers’ defense. Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola made a fine save from an Isak attempt in the first half. Nevertheless, neither side created many dangerous opportunities before halftime.
Everything changed in the second half when Florian Wirtz produced his best performance in a Liverpool shirt. The German international, who arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £100 million, finally showed why the club invested so heavily in him. On the hour mark, Wirtz jinked to his left and threaded a brilliant outside-of-the-boot pass through West Ham’s defense. The ball found Cody Gakpo, who cut back to Isak for a first-time finish into the bottom left corner.
This goal marked a watershed moment for Isak, who had struggled since his controversial £125 million British record transfer from Newcastle United on deadline day. The Swedish striker had spent the summer on strike to force the move, but managed only one Carabao Cup goal before Sunday. Furthermore, fitness issues limited his playing time, making this strike particularly significant for both player and team.
After taking the lead, Liverpool controlled the game comfortably. West Ham rarely threatened, and the visitors never looked like surrendering their advantage. Additionally, Lucas Paqueta received a red card, effectively ending any hopes of a Hammers comeback. Then, in the 92nd minute, Joe Gomez delivered a cross that Gakpo finished confidently to seal the victory.
Slot praised his team’s overall performance in the post-match news conference. “The team played a very good game,” he said. “After a very positive performance from Florian, I can acknowledge that, but I also want to emphasize that the team’s performance was much better.” The Dutch manager also highlighted Gomez’s contribution, as the England international made his first league start in 11 months at right-back.
The win moves Liverpool up to eighth in the Premier League table, just three points behind Aston Villa in fourth place. While the title remains out of reach, this result offers hope that the season can still be fruitful. Moreover, tough fixtures against Sunderland and Leeds United lie ahead, making this confidence boost particularly timely.
The West Ham vs Liverpool result provides Slot with some breathing room after intense pressure on his position. Though Liverpool isn’t out of crisis yet, these green shoots of recovery suggest better times may lie ahead.
