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Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United
- Goals: Mohamed Salah (£ 12.4 million), Diogo Jota (£ 6.3 million) | Pablo Fornals (£ 6.4 million)
- Attend: Xherdan Shaqiri (£ 6.4 million)
- Cousin: Fornals x3, Jack x2, Salah x1
Liverpool fought for a victory over West Ham that raised even more questions about a defense with only a clean league sheet to its name throughout the season.
Key injuries have greatly reduced coach Jurgen Klopp’s options at the rear, with the last player entering the center half. Nathaniel Phillips (£ 4.0m), delivered his league debut.
Nat is the way to do it
It’s fair to say that the 23-year-old didn’t disappoint anyone, earning him plenty of post-match accolades from Klopp.
He kept it really simple tonight, which was incredibly important to us. The boys supported him well and he supported the boys; he was vocal and spoke in the field. In the challenges he was there, really aggressive but without really faults, maybe one. It was a really good game.
However, whether he maintains his place in the league is another matter.
Klopp has not committed to Joel matip(£ 5.4m) from the hit he picked up on Gameweek 5, but with the games packed with strength and speed – the Champions League midweek and a trip to Manchester City on Sunday, Phillips appears to be within the framework of at least one of those accessories.
But as tempting as a Reds defender in the basement may be, Phillips is still a long way from maintaining a regular spot on the team.
Defense rests
It’s not that Liverpool’s defenders, at any price, have been overly attractive this season.
Only Andy Robertson (£ 7.1m) has come close to justifying the high price that comes with being a member of the Reds’ bottom line, and that’s thanks to the goal and the two assists he has produced to drive the only clean sheet.
Those aggressive returns have saved him from sales… until now. After five weeks of increasing ownership, the left-back is now in the top 15 in Gameweek 8 transfers.
Your side companion, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£ 7.4 million), he knows all about that sentiment – he’s lost coaches every week since Gameweek 1’s 4-3 win over Leeds United.
They also did not fail in the goal on Saturday, scored by Pablo Fornals (6.4 million pounds sterling). The midfielder reacted intelligently after Joe gomez(£ 5.4 million) weak punt header came straight at him, guiding the ball past Alisson (£ 5.9 million) and in the mail.
Alexander-Arnold’s previously nailed supply of attacking returns has been depleted to just one assist in seven starts and the wings only managed one opportunity created between them, take a bow, Trent, and a shot apiece against West Ham.
All of that, and Man City and Leicester below, suggests more backline sales for the foreseeable future.
Jota Joy
The ownership levels of big hitters Mohamed salah (£ 12.4 million) and Sadio mane (£ 12.0 million) have been much more stable, although a net of -8,171 was lost on an eight-point shot for the former when he won, and then scored, a penalty to level the score on Saturday.
The penalty award was generous, and referee Kevin Friend was probably right in considering contact from Arthur Masuaku (£ 4.5 million) enough to be considered a foul, if not enough to justify Salah’s dramatic reaction.
Friend later denied Mane owners an assist when they were substitutes. Diogo Jota (£ 6.3 million) scored from what appeared to be a rebound caused by the Senegal international’s challenge in Lukasz Fabianski (£ 5.0 million).
The VAR invited the referee to watch the incident again and, rightly, chalked the goal by Mane’s sliding tackle to the goalkeeper, since it had little to do with the ball.
Minutes later, Jota scored again – from his substitute partner xherdan Shaqiricunning pass (£ 6.4 million), and that effort stuck.
The Wolves signing now has three goals from their last three games in all competitions, and three of five in the league, prompting some affection from Klopp.
Diogo is in a good time. He is a good player and we are very happy that we were able to sign, so it is a win-win situation. I think we can help him and he can help us a lot.
Jota certainly helps add some flexibility to Liverpool’s system when he started (and scored) in a 4-2-3-1 formation in Game Week 6.
Klopp, however, returned to his tried and trusted 4-3-3 against the Hammers and while the demands of this season will require frequent squad rotation, it’s hard to see Jota consistently breaking the German Salah’s three preferred striker. , Mane. Y Roberto Firmino (£ 9.3 million) on an occasional basis.
That doesn’t stop managers from buying it: Jota is currently in the top 10 for Gameweek 8 buys.
But there are nine midfielders around his price with more than the 26 points Jota currently has in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL). They’ve all played at least twice as many minutes, so while his performance has been impressive (he’s scored three goals in 10 attempts), Jota would do well to maintain that kind of form unless he improves his shooting time.
Hammer time?
It’s been a long time coming, but West Ham’s schedule is now finally winding down, and their match roster looks attractive overall through the end of January.
David Moyes’s men have performed excellently through a brutal start to the season and his key attackers such as Fornals and Jarrod bowen (£ 6.3 million), it could attract a lot of investment from now on.
The pair are in the top ten in attempts among midfielders, with 12 each, with Fornals leading the team in chances created (six).
How the Hammers get by without striker Michail antonio (£ 6.2 million), who missed the game with a hamstring injury, could be key, although Moyes has been optimistic on the matter:
We already have him on the bike and he’s moving, which is for the kind of injury that we really like. Yesterday (October 29) they also did another scan and an ultrasound. It is in a good place.
All three midfielders should benefit from an improved schedule, with Fornals leading the way both in terms of points (39 versus 33 for Bowen and 18 for Soucek) and attempts on Saturday; only Salah could match him on all three shots he had.
Fornals seems the more rounded option, with two goals and three assists so far, while Bowen has three goals to his name.
But despite facing Fulham next, neither are in the top 30 in transfers.
In fact, there is only one hammer and it is a defender. Aaron Cresswell (£ 5.0 million), presumably due to the three assists he has produced this season.
Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Robertson, Gomez, N. Phillips, Alexander-Arnold; C Jones (Shaqiri 70), Wijnaldum, J Henderson; Mané, Firmino (Jota 70), Salah (Milner 90).
West Ham United XI (3-4-2-1): Fabianski; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Balbuena; Masuaku (Lanzini 88), Soucek, Rice, Coufal; Fornals, Bowen (Benrahma 89); Haller (Yarmolenko 74).
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