That’s all for now. Thanks as always for following along with us and be sure to check back later for a full match report!
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Full time: Liverpool 5-1 Hull City
And there’s the final whistle! Liverpool surge to a 5-1 victory for their 14th win in their last 15 matches at Anfield. A comprehensive performance from the Merseysiders who have now won three straight league fixtures since their 1-1 draw at Spurs.
90 min: The fourth official signals for two minutes of added time.
85 min: Two more shots from Sturridge, both off target, and Liverpool are just playing out the string here.
81 min: Hull win a rare free kick but Snodgrass’s effort sails over the crossbar.
78 min: Liverpool win another corner after another well worked build-up but the referee doesn’t like the pushing going on in the area and returns possession to Hull.
75 min: A double switch for Liverpool and Can and Grujic come on form Henderson and Coutinho.
GOAL! Liverpool 5-1 Hull City (Milner, 71 min)
And Milner has scored his second penalty of the match and Liverpool have moved ahead 5-1. It looks like Liverpool will keep their unbeaten record at home against Hull, improving to nine wins and two draws in 11 all-time meetings in all competitions.
69 min: Sturridge is fouled in the area and the referee points to the spot. A second penalty for Liverpool.
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67 min: Liverpool’s first sub as Sturridge comes on for Lallana.
65 min: More of the same from Liverpool, who have really taken Hull City’s will here.
60 min: Liverpool win a free kick but Coutinho’s effort caroms off the wall and out for a corner. It’s taken quickly by Milner but then goes out for a goal kick.
58 min: Another shot by Milner is parried and Liverpool win another corner, which is cleared easily.
55 min: The battering continues as Liverpool win a corner before Klavan’s shot is blocked followed by a speculative shot by Mane from outside the box that is handled easily.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-1 Hull City (Coutinho, 52 min)
And just like that whatever hope Hull City derived from pulling a goal back is almost immediately snuffed out as Coutinho delivers another wonder strike from 25 yards out into the top corner.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-1 Hull City (Meyler, 51 min)
Hull win their first corner of the match. It’s played into the area and poorly cleared before falling to Meyler, who cracks it past the keeper into the net.
49 min: Here’s a shot by Mane but the ball is cleared.
46 min: We’re underway in the second half. Here’s a question from a reader that I’ll try to research but if anyone has an answer feel free to send along.
@BryanAGraham Hi Bryan, 76%-24% possession in favour of Liverpool, wonder what the lowest possession a side has ever achieved in a PL game?
— Vortigern Margate (@VortigernJamie) September 24, 2016
An observation from reader Tim on the timing of the half-time whistle:
Surely I remember something about how the halftime whistle should be blown AFTER an attacking move is disrupted, a change in possession, or otherwise a change in the play? Was the ref trying to show pity on Hull or what was he thinking, blowing the half just as the Reds sliced through the Hull defense again?
Perhaps referee Andre Marriner learned from Rocky IV?
Half-time: Liverpool 3-0 Hull City
And there’s the whistle and Liverpool are ahead 3-0 after overwhelming the visitors over the first 45 minutes.
45 min+2: Liverpool still pressing for a fourth here right before half-time. They win a corner but this one is cleared past the halfway line by Livermore.
45 min: Milner gets far forward again and his cross travels agonizingly across the goal line from post to post and across to Mane. There will be three minutes of added time.
43 min: Coutinho’s effort on goal is easily corralled.
40 min: Liverpool had been dominating possession even before Hull went down a man in the 28th minute. Now Hull can hardly get a touch and seem to turn it over the moment they do.
37 min: Snodgrass clipped while going for a ball and he’s down with an injury as Liverpool kick it out.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Hull City (Mane, 36 min)
A wonderful build-up for Liverpool along the left side and Lallana finds Mane in acres of space at the top of the area. The Senegalese striker has more time than he needs to turn and crack it into the bottom corner of the goal. That’s three for the hosts and with Hull down to 10 men the outcome would seem all but a handshake away.
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33 min: Hull make their first sub as Meyler enters for Diomande.
32 min: Two chances for Liverpool in quick succession and this game may turn into a rout if Hull aren’t careful. Looks like a substitution will be made to stem the bleeding.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Hull City (Milner, 30 min)
Milner strikes it perfectly inside the right post. The keeper guesses correctly but it beats him just the same and Liverpool have doubled their lead at the half hour mark.
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28 min: And moments after the tribute Liverpool are awarded a penalty! Elmohamady is shown a straight red for deliberate handball and for the second straight week Hull are down to 10 men.
27 min: Applause rings through Anfield in honor of Hillsborough campaigner Gerry McIver.
We would encourage all those going to today's match to support this - Applaud for Gerry on the 27th minute of the match. https://t.co/yWSA0aIG6P
— Spirit of Shankly (@spiritofshankly) September 24, 2016
24 min: Liverpool win a corner when Milner’s header is deflected just wide of target. A strong cut into the area by Lallana to set up the chance.
22 min: Liverpool have picked up pretty much where they left off before the goal: commanding the action with constant possession.
19 min: Milner shown yellow after a foul on Snodgrass.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Hull City (Lallana, 17 min)
Milner’s corner is initially cleared but it falls to Coutinho, who dribbles into space before slipping it to Lallana, who scuffs it into the far corner of the goal for the opening blow. It’s Lallana’s third Premier League goal of the season after previous strikes against Arsenal and Leicester City.
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16 min: Another corner for the hosts as Milner, who continues to harangue Elmohamady up the left flank, cuts toward goal and his crosses is cleared out for a corner.
12 min: Liverpool win another corner but this one is easily corralled by the Hull keeper. The hosts continue to dominate possession early on.
9 min: Mane crosses and it falls to Coutinho, but he can’t get a clean foot on it and it’s cleared off the line. The action has really opened up now in Liverpool’s favor.
7 min: Henderson is hacked down by Huddlestone (who is shown yellow) and Liverpool win a free kick. The ball is initially cleared but it falls to Henderson, who has a go on goal from about 25 yards out but it’s high of the target and wide left.
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5 min: Milner beats his defender Elmohamady and drives toward the goal but his cross is cleared across the goal line for a corner. Corner is played to Mane but his header soars over the crossbar.
2 min: A measured opening for both sides as they trade possession. Hull manage to work the ball into the final third where Snodgrass crosses it into the area but it’s easily cleared. Moments later Hull threaten again but a sharp, clean challenge by Milner snuffs it out.
1 min: And they’re off! Hull kick off in all-black kits attacking left to right, Liverpool in familiar all-red strips going right to left.
And the strains of You’ll Never Walk Along echo through the stands of Anfield as the players have taken the pitch ahead of kickoff. Not much longer now.
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The teams!
Here’s a look at today’s teams as kickoff draws near.
Liverpool
XI: Karius; Clyne, Matip, Klavan, Milner; Henderson, Wijnaldum; Lallana, Coutinho, Mane; Firmino
Subs: Mignolet, Lucas, Moreno, Grujic, Can, Origi, Sturridge
Hull
XI: Marshall; Elmohamady, Davies, Livermore, Robertson; Snodgrass, Clucas, Huddlestone, Mason; Diomande, Hernandez
Subs: Jakupovic, Maguire, Meyler, Maloney, Mbokani, Keane, Henriksen
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime, you can read up on Mamadou Sakho’s overnight Snapchat outburst in which he claims to not understand his squad exclusion.
Mamadou Sakho has risked further inflaming his strained relationship with Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp after claiming that fans have been deceived about the truth behind his extended absence from the first-team squad.
Sakho has not featured for the club since he was suspended by Uefa in April for failing a drugs test. Although the ban was subsequently lifted by European football’s governing body, injury and disciplinary problems have kept the £19m France international out of the side since, allowing Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren to forge a promising partnership at the heart of the Liverpool defence.
Klopp hinted at the possibility of a rapprochement in midweek, suggesting that Sakho was not yet fully fit but is “closer to everything”. However, the German is unlikely to be impressed by a late-night social tirade in which Sakho insisted he was ready to play and voiced frustration over his continued estrangement.
Writing on social media platform Snapchat at 3.05am on Saturday morning, Sakho said: “I accept my situation but I can’t accept the lie … The fans deserve to know the truth.
