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Jürgen Klopp may be yelling louder for the reintroduction of the five substitutes rule in the Premier League, but he only needed two to complete a comeback win over West Ham. Diogo Jota and Xherdan Shaqiri combined elegantly with five minutes remaining to lead Liverpool to the top of the Premier League and equal the club’s record of 63 unbeaten league games at Anfield.
Jota scored for the third straight game at Anfield after being released into the away area by a sublime pass from fellow substitute Shaqiri. The forward’s winner came minutes after Kevin Friend disallowed a goal after a VAR control, and ruined a very encouraging away performance for David Moyes’ side.
Liverpool’s vulnerable spot was obvious with Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Joël Matip all absent from central defense and West Ham seized it to take an early lead. They were indebted to a weak punt by Joe Gomez, the most experienced central midfielder in the local ranks, for getting ahead of a buoyant start from the champions.
Klopp gave Nat Phillips a Premier League debut alongside the England international with Fabinho out until the next international break with a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old spent last season on loan at Stuttgart and was excluded from Liverpool’s Champions League squad this term due to a planned transfer that failed.
The rookie got off to a convincing start to his aerial duels against Sébastien Haller, who led West Ham’s line in the absence of the injured Michail Antonio, although his foul on the forward inadvertently revealed that Alisson had some concerns with his new defense. “Get organized fast, organize fast,” the goalkeeper yelled as Jarrod Bowen scored the free-kick. They didn’t, Haller nearly turned upside down in delivery, and Alisson didn’t hold back from telling his teammates exactly what he thought of their late response. He had more reason to complain after West Ham’s next attack.
Angelo Ogbonna instigated an incisive move with a clever pass from central defense to Bowen, who had time and space to turn and free Aaron Cresswell down the left. Arthur Masuaku took over and crossed to the heart of Liverpool’s penalty area, where Gomez headed what should have been a routine punt straight into the unmarked Pablo Fornals. The Spanish midfielder punished the slip with a low shot that beat Alisson with the foot of the right post.
With Declan Rice on alert and secured in central midfield, and the visitors moving to 5-4-1 out of possession, Moyes’ team comfortably defended their lead for much of the first half. They had some casualties, especially when Salah sent Sadio Mané to goal with a deft touch. Cresswell smashed the forward into the box, but Friend signaled him to continue play and, after West Ham failed to clear, Jordan Henderson drifted off his feet. A mix-up between Ogbonna and Lukasz Fabianski also allowed a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross to spread through their area, but Fabián Balbuena was available to clear. Alexander-Arnold, still 22 years old, was making his 100th Premier League appearance with his childhood club and seized another decent chance at a free kick to the West Ham wall.
Liverpool were beginning to struggle against the well-punched midfield benches and West Ham’s defense when they were awarded a soft penalty shortly before half-time. Curtis Jones crossed into Salah on the right side of the box and Masuaku caught him in the calf while controlling the ball. There was contact and Salah made the most of it. Tellingly, there was no protest from the West Ham side when Friend pointed the spot and Salah fired the kick into the center of Fabianski’s goal.
The visitors looked dangerous whenever they held possession long enough to venture into Liverpool territory. Masuaku gave Fornals a chance for a second goal moments after the restart, but the striker, finding the full-length center down the left wing, tamely deflected his shot towards Alisson.
Fornals had another good chance to restore West Ham’s lead when he held onto Haller’s header. Liverpool’s defense was exposed and Bowen was completely unmarked to his left, but the forward instead opted for a shot that slammed into Andy Robertson’s legs and brought him to safety. Bowen’s displeasure was not disguised.
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Robertson nearly made his mark in the opposite penalty area moments later when he was released behind the visiting defense with a superb pass from Henderson. Fabianski blocked the defender’s kick attempt and Salah couldn’t capitalize on the fumble. Then came the controversy, and the last decision of the VAR to go against Liverpool.
Fabianski made a smart save to deny Mané from 12 yards after the Senegalese international was set up by Jota. The ball twisted towards Jota as goalkeeper Mané and Ogbonna descended on the rebound and the Portuguese international converted. The VAR, however, reviewed a possible lack of Mané while challenging for the loose ball with Ogbonna and Fabianski. Friend consulted his monitor and agreed. No goal. But Liverpool, thanks to their substitutes, would not be denied a 52nd win on their record-level undefeated home run.
