That’s your lot, then. A reminder that Andy Hunter’s report has landed. Thanks for reading this report. Nighty night!
Jurgen Klopp speaks. “Seeing the determination and will of the boys to play football to deal with setbacks, is really exceptional. Football is about finding the right way, and tonight they found it. I loved the second goal. Super play. Shaq incredible! Every set piece was a major threat for us and we dealt with that well. I’m really happy. Subs should have an impact. It is not a surprise. We had to be patient but lively. Nat Phillips: wow! I couldn’t be more happy. He played a really good game. It’s a really nice story.”
David Moyes’s verdict. “Well, it tells you [something] that I’m disappointed that we’ve lost at Anfield. We looked as though we could get something. Liverpool played well and had a lot of the ball, but we did a lot of good things and have a lot of positives to take from it. But I’m amazed a penalty kick was given. I’m getting disappointed that those sort of penalties are being accepted. In my book that’s not a penalty. We weren’t clinical enough. Liverpool were really good with the ball but we defended really well and missed a couple of opportunities. It [the winner] was good play by Liverpool but we should have done better on the defending side. For Haller’s first game back it was always going to be tough coming here. He’s got lots of attributes and hopefully will show them in the coming months.”
We shall hear from Klopp and Moyes before this MBM wraps up. However, Andy Hunter’s verdict has landed, and we can’t keep you waiting.
Nat Phillips dissects his Premier League debut. “It’s massive, something that I dreamed of. To have that opportunity tonight was huge for me and my family. It was Thursday in training when the gaffer mentioned it to me. He said as long as nothing happens, you will be playing so I knew I had to make sure to keep myself fit until the weekend! I knew the possibility may come up with the injuries that we’ve had so I kept prepared. It was important for me to do the basics early on. I really enjoyed it, it was a tough battle. A lot of aerial battles, but that’s one of my strengths. But most importantly we got the good result. Obviously if the opportunity does arise again, I have got to make sure I’m ready for that.” He’s then told Jamie Carragher made him man of the match on Sky, and a modest smile slowly creeps across his face. “That’s a huge compliment, especially coming from a Liverpool legend, so I’m really happy to have heard that. Thank you Jamie!”
Diogo Jota has scored three goals in his last three games at Anfield. “It means a lot of course. Always on the bench I was thinking about what I could do to unlock the result. I scored two goals, just one to count, and fortunately we got the victory.” He’s told that he’s the first player since Luis Garcia in 2004 to score in three consecutive matches for Liverpool at Anfield. “Stats and more stats. Always good things, of course, but most important was the win. The other team got tired. Movement, movement, and there was space. Great pass from Shaq and I could score. For me it [the disallowed goal] was a goal. I didn’t see anything. But it’s football now, we need to wait.”
West Ham will be distraught at getting nothing from that game, having held Liverpool so long. They defended quite magnificently. But they were ripped in two by a magical Xherdan Shaqiri pass, a defence-splitter and a nutmeg, all rolled into one. The in-form Diogo Jota slammed home, and Liverpool go top of the table. They’re three points ahead of Everton, who visit Newcastle tomorrow. West Ham remain in 13th position on eight points, but should take heart from their performance. They’ve gone toe-to-toe with Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester City and now Liverpool, causing great concern against them all. It bodes well for the future. It’s unfashionable to say it, but David Moyes is doing a fine job.
FULL TIME: Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United
That is that! Liverpool were made to work their socks off, but they get the three points and equal the club record of 63 consecutive home league games unbeaten. Diogo Jota’s fast start to his Liverpool career continues apace; David Moyes is still waiting for his first Anfield win after 17 attempts.
Updated
90 min +5: Phillips, who has been superb on the whole, bashes a header clear. Lanzini tries to return it dangerously, but the ball sails out for a goal kick. That should be that.
90 min +4: Yarmolenko curls in low from the right. Alisson was preparing to gather but Gomez doesn’t hear a call and hacks out for a corner. Will Liverpool pay?
90 min +3: Soucek beats Gomez to the high free kick, but the resulting header is weak and easy for Alisson. Liverpool go up the other end, Alexander-Arnold scampering into the box from the right. Coufal is on hand to clear.
90 min +2: Yarmolenko is clattered by Phillips as the pair contest a high ball 40 yards out on the right. A chance for West Ham to load the box.
90 min +1: Liverpool play some keep-ball at the back.
90 min: Liverpool look to hold on to what they’ve got. Salah makes way for Milner. There will be five added minutes.
89 min: West Ham make a double change. On for his Premier League debut: Benrahma. Also on: Lanzini. Masuaku and Bowen make way.
87 min: Turns out the VAR decision was for a foul on Ogbonna, and not the keeper. Like I say, clear and obvious? “I am an Everton fan,” writes Mary Waltz. “Nothing would make me happier then a Liverpool loss. But VAR has to go. That was simply a multi player scramble and that should be a good goal. VAR has to be binned and we will accept the inevitable howler from a human official.” Preach.
86 min: This isn’t over, though. Just ask Spurs.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United (Jota 85)
Jota’s not to be denied! They press West Ham back for the first time all evening. Probing left and right. Suddenly Shaqiri slides a ball down the inside-left channel, nutmegging Balbuena, and releases Jota, who passes into the bottom left! That’s a quite wonderful goal, a brilliant pass from Shaqiri.
Updated
83 min: The Delap has gone out of fashion, and West Ham opt to work space for a cross instead. Soucek delivers to nobody.
82 min: Yarmolenko goes on a fine dribble down the right, but there aren’t many options for him. The move peters out. But West Ham come again and win a throw deep in Liverpool territory down the right.
80 min: That’s one that’ll no doubt be argued about. There wasn’t much contact, and it didn’t seem a clear and obvious error. On the other hand, Mane was sliding in with his boot and caught the keeper. You could make a decent argument for both sides. That’s how the internet works, right?
NO GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 West Ham United
No referee this season has stuck with his original decision after being sent across to the monitor. And Kevin Friend isn’t going to buck the trend. He performs the international mime for TV, and the goal is chalked off.
Updated
78 min: But VAR Guy is checking this. Mane’s boot clipped the keeper. Enough to blow for a foul? Kevin Friend goes over to the monitor to check!
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United (Jota 77)
Bowen crosses from the right. Alexander-Arnold heads clear. Jota sashays down the left. He rolls inside for Mane, who shoots towards the bottom left. Fabianski parries. Mane slides in for the loose ball. It breaks left for Jota, who lashes home!
Updated
76 min: Jota busies himself down the middle and tries to slip Salah clear. Just a little bit too much on the pass. Salah can’t control and Fabianski claims. Henderson wanted to be released down the right channel, but Jota didn’t spot him.
75 min: West Ham make their first change, replacing the ineffective Haller with Yarmolenko, who surely can’t be any worse than he was last weekend against Manchester City.
74 min: A rare bit of space for Salah, just inside the box on the right. He fires ambitiously towards the top left. His rising effort is decent, but always wide and high.
73 min: Liverpool ping it around the middle, but there’s no space to advance. It’s all too slow. West Ham are holding their shape marvellously.
71 min: Klopp has seen enough. Jones and Firmino are replaced by Shaqiri and Jota.
70 min: Robertson instigates a melee in the West Ham box, trying to poke home from a tight angle on the left. Fabianski saves but goes walkabout. Salah loops over him into the centre, but can’t find anyone in red. West Ham clear again.
69 min: Mane tries to dribble his way into the West Ham box. A successful one-two with Salah would ping him clear, but the return ball is weak and the visitors can clear.
68 min: Liverpool were lucky Fornals didn’t spot Bowen free and unmarked to his left before taking that shot. If he’d found his team-mate, Bowen was almost sure to score, with Alisson having been drawn out of position.
66 min: Haller flicks on, beating Phillips for the first time in a while. And he nearly opens Liverpool up. Fornals latches onto the dropping ball and powers into the area. He shoots low and hard, but Robertson comes across to block bravely and brilliantly.
65 min: Another Liverpool long ball sails out of play for a goal kick. This is really poor from the champions. West Ham are as comfortable as can be right now.
64 min: Cresswell’s good to go again. On the touchline, Jurgen Klopp looks pensive.
63 min: Cresswell slips as he tries to beat Alexander-Arnold down the left. He accidentally performs the splits, over-extending and hurting himself in the process. On comes the trainer.
61 min: A long ball down the left intended for Mane. Goal kick. Liverpool are running out of ideas.
60 min: Mane dinks a clever pass down the right channel for Alexander-Arnold. For a second it looks as though it’ll land perfectly for a shot, just inside the box, but Cresswell extends a leg to hook clear. That’s fine defending.
58 min: West Ham put a lovely sweeping right-to-left move together, involving Bowen, Soucek and Cresswell. Phillips does very well to clear the eventual cross.
57 min: It’s all very bitty. West Ham are doing a textbook job of breaking up play, closing down space, and jiggering Liverpool’s momentum.
55 min: The game grinds down almost to a halt. West Ham will be perfectly happy with this. Liverpool need a rocket; they’ve been so laboured.
53 min: Jones finds a little bit of space to the right of the West Ham box. He rolls an inviting ball across the face of goal, but neither Salah nor Firmino react in time and West Ham are eventually able to clear their lines.
51 min: Alexander-Arnold hangs one in from the right. Mane does his best but it’s always going to be an easy claim for Fabianski. Liverpool are pretty ponderous in attack right now.
50 min: West Ham’s first attack of the second half sees Masuaku get the better of Alexander-Arnold down the left. He crosses low. Fornals sticks out a leg and sends the ball goalwards, but there’s no real pace on the effort and it’s an easy snaffle for Alisson.
49 min: Wijnaldum turns on the jets and makes off towards the West Ham box, defenders backtracking. Rice takes one for the team, tugging him back. A booking, and a free kick, just to the right of centre. Alexander-Arnold wedges into the centre. Salah tries to head towards the top left, but the ball comes off his shoulder and Fabianski claims.
48 min: Jones drifts across the front of the West Ham box, right to left. He should feed Mane on the left, but tries a reverse ball towards Firmino and gets that all wrong.
46 min: Salah bustles down the right. He’s hoping to spring West Ham’s back line, but Firmino over-elaborates a flick and eventually fouls Ogbonna.
Liverpool get the second half underway. They’re kicking towards the Kop in this second half. Let’s see if they’ve been given the what-for by Jurgen Klopp. No changes.
Half-time round-up.
HALF TIME: Liverpool 1-1 West Ham United
Liverpool have done the lion’s share of attacking but West Ham have defended well and scored a fine goal. The scoreline seems about right. Both teams will fancy their chances in the second half on this evidence.
45 min: Salah drifts in from the right and looks for Robertson, racing in from the opposite flank. There’s too much on the cross and it’s a goal kick. There will be two minutes added onto the end of an entertaining first half.
43 min: West Ham hoick a ball into the Liverpool mixer. Alisson claims under pressure from the physical Haller. But they come back at Liverpool again, Henderson clipping Haller out on the left. Soucek’s delivery is easily cleared by Robertson. But that’s a good response to conceding the equaliser from West Ham.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 West Ham United (Salah 42 pen)
... lashes it straight down the middle with extreme power. Fabianski dives out of the way and the hosts are level!
Updated
Penalty for Liverpool
40 min: Robertson should probably have taken it. Alexander-Arnlod blooters it straight into the wall, and that’s that. But Liverpool come again, Jones chipping down the inside-right channel for Salah, who looks to spin but is clipped by Masuaku. The referee points to the spot. Salah gets up to take it himself. And ...
Updated
39 min: Firmino slips a ball down the inside right for Wijnaldum, who spins cleverly into space and draws a foul from Rice. This is a free kick just to the right of the D. Alexander-Arnold’s eyes have lit up, though Robertson fancies it as a left-footer too.
37 min: Mane jinks down the inside-right channel before switching play to Robertson, who meets the dropping ball with a creamy volley. But it’s always heading over the bar. It’s an attempt, though, and Liverpool haven’t had many of those so far.
35 min: Salah tries to bustle down the right but he’s eased off line by Cresswell and eventually concedes a frustrated foul. West Ham are extremely well organised. They’re offering up little space, doing a proper number on Liverpool’s front line.
33 min: Mane is clipped by Soucek as he spins, 25 yards out. It’s a free kick just to the left of centre. Liverpool waste it, Jones and Robertson taking turns to take heavy touches. West Ham counter, albeit not in a particularly efficient manner.
32 min: Mane tries to get something going down the left, but after exchanging passes with Robertson, the flag goes up for offside. Liverpool’s early energy has dipped a little. West Ham are beginning to look a little more comfortable.
30 min: Despite the scoreline, David Moyes looks more concerned than Jurgen Klopp right now. But give it time.
28 min: Fornals bombs down the middle with extreme prejudice. He’s got options either side and Liverpool are panicking, but his pass to the right, intended for Bowen, is poor and intercepted by Robertson. That break was the result of Phillips getting into a tangle with Haller on the halfway line and taking himself out of the game for a crucial minute.
26 min: Fabianski spills an Alexander-Arnold cross and is very fortunate not to tee up Mane in front of an empty net. West Ham hack clear. Liverpool will be happy enough with the way they’re attacking; it’s threatening to click. Just not yet.
25 min: Mane tries to break through the middle. Cresswell comes across him and nicks the ball away. Mane goes over, but he’s not getting a penalty. The ball breaks to Henderson, who tries to guide a low shot into the bottom right. His effort whistles inches wide.
24 min: Gomez switches play to the right with a Van Dijkesque rake. Alexander-Arnold chests down and sends a cross-cum-shot into the box. Fabianski claims. The West Ham keeper hasn’t had much to do.
23 min: Another cross into the Liverpool box from the West Ham left. Phillips does well to clear under intense pressure from Haller. West Ham aren’t attacking often. But when they do commit men forward, they carry a threat.
21 min: Mane probes down the left. No way through. Salah and Alexander-Arnold combine crisply down the right. No way through again. This West Ham defensive block is going to be tricky to break down. The Hammers are a confident outfit at the minute. That win at Leicester changed everything.
19 min: Henderson tries to spring Alexander-Arnold clear down the right but Masuaku reads the danger intelligently and intercepts.
17 min: Coufal is forced to head out for a corner, under pressure from Mane and a long ball. Fornals heads half clear. Wijnaldum intends to return the ball but is stopped from shooting by Coufal. West Ham are keeping the hosts at arm’s length right now.
16 min: Jones wins the ball from Fornals but also stands on his toe. Both players are expecting a free kick to be awarded. The referee, standing by, doesn’t whistle. Liverpool play on through Alexander-Arnold down the right. His low cross is gathered by Fabianski, after a brief fumble, with Mane lurking. It’s a good game, this.
15 min: Robertson shovels the free kick towards the far post. Salah tries to keep it alive but can’t manage it. A poor delivery.
14 min: Liverpool probe patiently. Eventually West Ham get fed up and Balbuena comes through the back of Mane, just to the left of the box. Liverpool string out along the front of the West Ham penalty area.
12 min: Well this is interesting now! Not least because that unbeaten home league record is on the line. Liverpool are the best in the business right now in turning this sort of thing around; West Ham are the Premier League’s worst for dropping points from winning positions. Yep, this is going to be interesting.
GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 West Ham (Fornals 10)
Bowen is in acres in the centre circle. He spreads play to Cresswell on the left. Cresswell pings back for Masuaku, who curls into the box. Gomez’s clearing header is weak, falling to Fornals by the left of the D. Fornals isn’t closed down, and has time to thread a superb low shot into the bottom left. A shock lead, and so much for Liverpool’s fast start!
Updated
8 min: Phillips is penalised for clattering into Haller. A free kick. Coufal is sent scampering down the right. Phillips makes up for the foul by getting in ahead of Haller at the near post. A corner, which is ballooned straight out of play, the pressure released.
6 min: Alexander-Arnold’s crossfield ball looks like going out of play to the left of the West Ham goal, but Robertson somehow hooks it into the mixer. The ball hangs in swirling wind and confuses the hell out of Fabianski, who freezes, but Cresswell and Ogbonna are positioned well to deal with the situation.
4 min: Phillips heads Fabianski’s long ball clear. An early confidence booster for the debutant, on whom many pairs of eyes will be trained.
3 min: Alexander-Arnold creams a long pass down the right wing. Salah brings it down but can’t quite control, allowing Ogbonna to usher the ball out for a goal kick.
2 min: Now Mane has a determined run at the West Ham back line, nearly breaking through down the left. Liverpool have flown out of the blocks here. I wonder whether they’ve decided that attack is the best form of defence given the enforced new look of their back line?
1 min: West Ham are kicking towards the Kop in this first half. They soon give up possession, and Salah hares off down the right. He combines neatly with Firmino to break into the box, but the dream of a super-fast start evaporates when he loses control.
West Ham get the ball rolling ... but not before everyone takes the knee. There’s no room for racism. Black lives matter.
The teams are out! Liverpool are in red, West Ham in fetching 1970s-throwback blue with claret stripe. Both teams wear the poppy of remembrance in honour of the fallen. There’s also a moment taken to remember Nobby Stiles. We’ll be off in a minute.
Jurgen Klopp on why he’s plumped for Nat Phillips. “Plenty of reasons! Your show is not long enough. It’s just he’s the most experienced of the guys. We did not need to put a midfielder in there. Rhys Williams did well [in midweek] but Nat is not on the list for the Champions League, so it was an easy decision [to rotate and play him today]. He looks good in training, a proper challenger, loves one-on-one situations and is good in the air. It’s a special day for him.” And what does he expect from young midfielder Curtis Jones today? “Defending like a soldier, attacking like a scouser, being cheeky, being free.”
David Moyes, who hasn’t won at Anfield in 16 attempts, speaks to Sky Sports. “The form the players have been in justifies going with the same team. Obviously we look at all the opponents and decide what’s right, but the form of the players is making it quite easy for me. Liverpool are a fantastic team. The crowd normally play such a part. Not to have them here, I hope we can try to take advantage of it.” He’s also looking forward to seeing how Sebastien Haller changes the dynamic of West Ham’s attack in Michail Antonio’s absence, and says he’ll not be rushing Saïd Benrahma into the team just for the sake of it, preferring to build up his fitness and bed him in slowly.
Pre-match reading.
Jurgen Klopp’s solution to the Van Dijk / Matip / Fabinho problem: 23-year-old Nathaniel Phillips. He spent most of his time out on loan last season in the Bundesliga 2 with Stuttgart, but also made his Liverpool debut against Everton in the FA Cup. This will be his Premier League debut. Thiago is still recovering from injury, but Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino all return after being rested to varying degrees against Midtjylland during the week.
West Ham make one change to the XI that drew with Manchester City last week. Sebastien Haller comes in for the hamstrung Micail Antonio.
Updated
The teams
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Phillips, Robertson, Jones, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs: Milner, Adrian, Minamino, Jota, Shaqiri, Rhys Williams, Neco Williams.
West Ham United: Fabianski, Coufal, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Masuaku, Bowen, Soucek, Rice, Fornals, Haller.
Subs: Yarmolenko, Benrahma, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Diop, Fredericks, Randolph.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
Preamble
On the face of it, this should be a shoo-in. Liverpool have won the last three stagings of this fixture by an aggregate score of 11-3. West Ham have only won here once in their last 47 attempts, a run stretching back to 1963. Liverpool have won 28 of their last 29 Premier League games at Anfield, and if they avoid defeat today, they’ll equal their club record of 63 home league games unbeaten.
But! West Ham’s sole victory at Anfield in the last 57 years was a 3-0 rout in 2015, when Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren showcased a contemporary dance routine still talked about in hushed tones today. It’s probably pushing the point to say Liverpool wouldn’t mind one or either of them back for this match, given the current crisis in the centre of their defence, but not by much. Joe Gomez was also in Liverpool’s back four that day, for a start.
West Ham are in good nick. They’re unbeaten in four, and come off the back of a very solid performance against Manchester City last weekend. Michail Antonio will be a big miss, but Said Benrahma could make his debut, and David Moyes will be eager to get one over on Liverpool, having previously managed their two biggest rivals. A shock win wouldn’t be that shocking.
The table’s set for a delicious supper of soccer, then ... with both a Liverpool and Hammers win more than possible, plus everything in between. It’s on!
Kick off: 5.30pm BST.
