Sports - Football - Premier League - WHU 1:4 LFC
Mohamed Salah's double helped Liverpool to their first consecutive league win since August, thrashing West Ham 1-4 at London Stadium on Sadio Mané's much awaited return from injury.
Click here for my FT Notes on the match.
The opening goal came off a killer counter from West Ham's first corner in the 21st minute, Mané with the break, run and pass to his right, where Salah gratefully collected, controlled and tapped in the ball with his left boot, Joe Hart well beaten. Exemplary.
Two minutes and 37 seconds later, Salah took Liverpool's first corner of the game, Hart punched away skipper Mark Noble's block, nearly conceding an own goal, for Joël Matip to net the rebound with his right boot and make it 0-2 to the Reds.
The visitors were happy to play kick-about in the middle of the park after that, frustrating the hell out of the hosts, manager Slaven Bilić and co-owner David Gold no happy men.
To many Reds fans' surprise, Simon Mignolet captained the visitors in Jordan Henderson's absence due to injury, and showed too many shakes and nerves once again.
To many Reds fans' surprise, Simon Mignolet captained the visitors in Jordan Henderson's absence due to injury, and showed too many shakes and nerves once again.
Manuel Lanzini pulled one back ten minutes into the second half, off the chest, onto the right foot and into the right corner, nice one.
But seconds later, the bubbles were still blowing, former Gunner Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain restored Liverpool's two-goal cushion with his first league goal for the club, netting the rebound after Hart blocked and denied his first attempt, nicely set up by Roberto Firmino.
Lanzini came close again seconds later in an action-packed few minutes with just over an hour gone.
Salah made it four and sealed the deal for the Reds with 15 minutes to go, Mané in the build-up again, running, stumbling, getting back up again, running on, providing the Egyptian with the perfect ball into the box, which he netted with the left foot.
London Stadium emptied very quickly, YNWA echoing around with the boos at the full-time whistle, LFC manager Jürgen Klopp all smiles.
It was much needed goals, a much needed win, much needed points for the Reds. A big blow for the Hammers.
The win takes Liverpool closer to the top four whilst West Ham dropped down dangling into the relegation zone.
Their points total after 11 games equals their 2010-11 season when they were relegated from the top flight.
Klopp and Co meanwhile, will be much happier going into the international break after their fourth consecutive win in all competitions, scoring 17, conceding just one.
Liverpool Goals: Salah 21', Matip 24', Oxlade-Chamberlain 56' & Salah 76'.
West Ham Team: 25 Hart; 21 Ogbonna, 8 Kouyate, 2 Reid (booked 47'); 3 Cresswell, 16 Noble (c) (booked 37') (Arnautovic 61'), 10 Lanzini (booked 90'), 14 Obiang, 31 Fernandes (9 Carroll HT); 17 Hernandez (15 Sakho 72'), 20 Ayew. 3-5-2
Substitutes not used: 13 Adrian, 23 Haksabanovic, 26 Masuaku, 41 Rice.
Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet (c); 18 Moreno, 17 Klavan, 32 Matip, 12 Gomez; 5 Wijnaldum, 23 Can, 21 Oxlade-Chamberlain (6 Lovren 87'); 19 Mané (7 Milner 77'), 9 Firmino (29 Solanke 77'), 11 Salah. 4-3-3
Substitutes not used: 1 Karius, 15 Sturridge, 16 Grujic, 66 Alexander-Arnold.
HT Stats: WHU 0-2 LFC
Possession: 43%-57%
Shots: 2-3
On target: 0-3
Corners: 1-2
Fouls: 5-6
Yellow cards: 1-0
FT Stats: WHU 1-4 LFC
Possession: 48%-52%
Shots: 6-15
On target: 1-7
Corners: 2-3
Fouls: 9-13
Yellow cards: 3-0
Referee: Neil Swarbrick
Man of the match: Mohamed Salah
Ground: London Stadium
Attendance: 56,961
Click here for my previous LFC match report.
All pictures, facts and stats were taken from the BBC match report and SFR live match coverage.
No comments:
Post a Comment