West Ham vs Liverpool Match Overview
Liverpool’s Premier League title charge was dealt a mortal blow after West Ham held them to a 2-2 draw at the London Stadium on Saturday. Michail Antonio scored the equalizing goal for the Hammers in the 77th minute as the Reds remained in third place. Arsenal and Manchester City, who both have games in hand over the Anfield outfit, now have a chance to extend their lead over Jurgen Klopp’s side, virtually ending their hopes.
Having won each of their last five games in the fixture, Liverpool were the favorites to win, although their patchy form of late had set the alarm bells ringing. Against West Ham today too, the Merseyside outfit were struggling to find their feet, and were made to pay for it when Jarrod Bowen put the Hammers in front just minutes before half-time.
Andrew Robertson equalized for the Reds just three minutes into the second half before an own goal from Alphonso Areola put the visitors in front for the first time in the match. It eased some pressure off Liverpool, who were now in the driving seat for a win, but the house of cards came crashing down once again when Antonio headed home a cross from Jarrod Bowen with only 13 minutes of normal time remaining.
Klopp responded with a triple substitution, bringing on Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Joe Gomez, but it didn’t bear fruits today, as Liverpool failed to find the elusive third goal to win the match. They are on 75 points after 35 games, and face Tottenham Hotspur in their next match. West Ham, down in eighth, face Chelsea in a London derby.
West Ham vs Liverpool Player Ratings
West Ham Player Ratings
Alphonso Areola (GK) – 6.5/10: An own goal by him put Liverpool in front, but he was otherwise rock-solid in goal, making seven saves.
Vladimir Coufal (RB) – 6.5/10: A resolute figure in defense for the Hammers, making six clearances and two interceptions.
Kurt Zouma (CB) – 6.5/10: The former Chelsea man offered a lot of resistance in defense whenever Liverpool came forward.
Angelo Ogbonna (CB) – 6/10: Ogbonna was alright in the opening stanza, but looked visibly unsettled when Liverpool increased pressure on West Ham in the second half, even deflecting their second goal.
Emerson (LB) – 6.5/10: The Italian kept Harvey Elliott firmly in check with his vital interventions. He finished with five clearances and blocked three shots while also making three tackles.
Tomas Soucek (DM) – 6/10: His vision was spectacular and was never afraid to jump into tackles either, but Soucek was among those guilty of Liverpool’s second goal.
Edson Alvarez (DM) – 6/10: He played a key role in winning back possession as Alvarez fought hard for the ball and was a thorn in Liverpool’s flesh.
Jarrod Bowen (RW) – 8.5/10: The 27-year-old scored the first goal and assisted the second.
Lucas Paqueta (AM) – 6/10: The Brazilian was overshadowed by better players around him.
Mohammed Kudus (LW) – 7/10: With excellent ball control and directness, Kudus was a real threat to Liverpool’s defense.
Michail Antonio (ST) – 7.5/10: The Jamaican earned his side a point with a vital header in the 77th minute.
Liverpool Player Ratings
Alisson (GK) – 7/10: The Liverpool custodian made six saves on the evening to play a crucial role in keeping West Ham from running away with the match.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (RB) – 6.5/10: He created three chances but came up short defensively.
Jarell Quansah (CB) – 5/10: With five clearances and three tackles, Quansah had a good game on paper, but failed to mark Antonio in the build-up to West Ham’s equalizer.
Virgil van Dijk (CB) – 6/10: The towering Dutchman hasn’t been at his usual self lately and it showed once again today when he struggled to cope with West Ham’s intensity.
Andrew Robertson (LB) – 7/10: The Scotsman showed great work-ethic and was rewarded for it with a goal in the second half.
Alexis Mac Allister (RM) – 5.5/10: Mac Allister wasn’t at his usual best today, with the Hammers keeping his influence limited.
Wataru Endo (CM) – 5/10: He was in good form in recent weeks but it seemed like a distant memory as Endo turned in a truly disappointing performance.
Ryan Gravenberch (LM) – 7/10: Adept at winning the ball and unstoppable in dribbles, Gravenberch was the star of the evening for Liverpool tonight. Too bad he couldn’t mark it with a goal or an assist.
Harvey Elliott (RW) – 5.5/10: He came into some good attacking positions during the match but poor decisions on the ball let him down.
Cody Gakpo (ST) – 6/10: He made eight attempts in the match, but none of them were on target, which tells you about his sorrowful lack of accuracy on the day.
Luis Diaz (LW) – 7.5/10: The Colombian was the creative hub for Liverpool tonight with seven key passes, even bagging an assist for Robertson’s goal.
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