Sachin Nakrani has filed his match report, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks very much for your company and emails - goodnight.
Here’s Jurgen Klopp
“Their first goal was a foul, it makes no sense [that it was allowed]. We were fully in control of the game in the first half. Over the whole 90 minutes we were not clinical enough in the final third. They have quality on counter-attacks and set-pieces. But I just don’t know how the first goal was allowed. And I thought Cresswell’s challenge on Henderson was reckless.
“I know people will say, ‘He’s looking for excuses.’ I’m not. I’m completely calm. I don’t think we are too good to lose football matches – it’s not nice but I accept it. But there are times when you need a… normal decision from a ref, and he didn’t do that.
“We had them were we wanted them at 1-1. We lost too many balls and that allowed them to counter-attack, which they didn’t in the first half. It looked like we lost a bit of patience.”
Post-match interviews
Kurt Zouma “It was a great performance today from everyone, even the crowd. Liverpool are always tough to play against. It was an open game and both sides had a lot of chances to score. We were more clinical and we stayed strong at the end.”
“Tactically we were spot on today. We knew Liverpool would play high and leave space at the back. The plan was to hurt them to on the counter-attack and it worked today.”
Pablo Fornals “I think it’s logical to give me the first goal - Alisson doesn’t want it! But it doesn’t matter – West ham won 3-2, that’s all that matters. I love playing in our stadium with our crowd, we are very happy!”
15 - West Ham manager David Moyes earned his first win in 15 Premier League meetings with Liverpool (D4 L10) across spells with Everton, Man Utd, Sunderland and West Ham. It was also the Hammers’ first win in 11 league meetings with the Reds (D2 L8). Jubilant. #WHULIV pic.twitter.com/KcFREyHSZy
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 7, 2021
Liverpool were the last unbeaten team in the Premier League this season, and you know that means.
“Happy Invincibles Day to all Gooners,” says Graham Fulcher. “And after only 11 matches. The correct answer to the fantasy season ticket question is of course Arsenal 2003-04. With each season that passes that achievement looks greater.”
Especially as there were only two or three games (Man Utd away, Portsmouth away, another one I’ve probably forgotten) in which they even came close to losing. That said, it’s criminal they didn’t win the Champions League that year.
Liverpool’s 25-game unbeaten run has come to an end, though they played a huge part in a memorable game of football. West Ham defended with courage and intelligence and used their twin attacking strengths - counter-attacks and set-pieces - to devastating effect. It’s David Moyes first win over Liverpool since 2010, and he looks full of pride as he applauds the West Ham supporters. Right now, West Ham are the feelgood story of English football.
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Full time: West Ham 3-2 Liverpool
Peeeeeeeeeeeeeep peeeeeeeeeeeeep! West Ham move above Liverpool and into third place after a famous victory!
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90+4 min Origi heads straight at Fabianski from Alexander-Arnold’s cross! It was a half chance at best.
90+3 min Minamino concedes a silly free-kick, which allows West Ham to waste a bit more time.
90+1 min: What a chance for Mane! Alexander-Arnold flipped the free-kick to the far post, where Mane was unmarked in the six-yard box. He stooped to head the ball back across goal but it drifted just wide.
90 min There will be four minutes of added time.
90 min Soucek is penalised for a push on Minamino 25 yards from goal. The free-kick is a fair way to the right of centre, possibly too wide for the right-footed Alexander-Arnold. Salah, on the other hand...
89 min Liverpool’s last league defeat was at home to Fulham in March.
88 min Saying which, Rice and Masuaku combine to eat up 30 seconds in the Liverpool half.
87 min The entire game is now taking place in the West Ham half. Most of it is taking place in their third.
86 min Arthur Masuaku replaces Said Benrahma. West Ham are now playing with a back 12.
84 min Vladimir Coufal is on for Jarrod Bowen. This is breathless, brilliant stuff.
GOAL! West Ham 3-2 Liverpool (Origi 83)
Divock Origi has dragged Liverpool back into the game! A loose ball broke to him on the edge of the area after Alexander-Arnold was challenged. Origi turned Dawson smartly and hit a left-footed shot that bobbled into the far corner.
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83 min Liverpool certainly haven’t given this up, and if they get one now anything could happen.
82 min Salah, on the right side of the area, twists Cresswell inside out and then back in again. Eventually he’s challenged by Rice and the ball breaks to Thiago, whose low shot from the edge of the area is comfortably saved by Fabianski.
82 min Let’s all laugh at David Moyes.
"That's what I do, I win."
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 30, 2019
David Moyes held his first press conference since being named as West Ham's new manager. #bbcfootball #WHU pic.twitter.com/faEZQMsQkP
80 min Fabinho is replaced by Takumi Minamino, which means a switch to 4-2-3-1.
79 min “Como?” says Luca Giacopuzzi. “I guess you meant Hellas Verona?”
I meant Como. But if I was being serious, my fantasy season ticket woul of course be Sampdoria 1990-91.
77 min West Ham’s three greatest strengths are set-pieces, counter-attacks and defensive organisation, and they have been right on top of their game with all three.
76 min Divock Origi is on for Diogo Jota.
Bowen curled a booming, inswinging corner beyond the far post, where Zouma leapt imperiously to head past the scrambling Alisson. David Moyes, who is usually quite low-key on the touchline, is going ballistic. This has been a sensational performance for West Ham.
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GOAL! West Ham 3-1 Liverpool (Zouma 75)
Scenes!
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74 min Another West Ham break! Fornals releases Antonio, whose shot is blocked by van Dijk. The ball deflects behind for a corner...
73 min Alisson makes a great save for Fornals, though it wouldn’t have counted as he was offside. It was another marvellous counter-attack from West Ham, with Antonio robbing Fabinho and running 60 yards before poking the ball through to Fornals.
72 min “Can you imagine what it must have been like to be a Napoli fan during the Maradona / Mars years?” says Simon McMahon. “If I could go back in time and experience a particular era as a fan of any club, Naples in the late 1980s would be high up on my list.”
Como 1984-85 for me, Clive.
71 min Another dangerous West Ham break. Bowen tries to twist away from van Dijk and instantly realises his error as van Dijk shepherds the ball out of play.
70 min The atmosphere is sensational.
69 min Henderson’s very deep cross is headed into the side netting by Jota. A very tricky chance.
69 min Thiago Alcantara comes on for Oxlade-Chamberlain. I think Liverpool were going to make that change before the goal.
It was a devastating counter-attack from West Ham. Mane lost the ball 40 yards from goal and West Ham were off. Bowen surged straight at the heart of the Liverpool defence, a scintillating run, and poked the ball through to Fornals on the edge of the area. His low left-footed drive went through the hand of the diving Alisson, who should have done better, and dribbled into the net.
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GOAL! West Ham 2-1 Liverpool (Fornals 67)
West Ham are back in front!
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66 min “‘Updated the Mars shirt’?” sniffs Andrew Hurley. “Wouldn’t keeping it exactly as it was be absolutely perfect?!”
Oh aye, but their shirt manufacturers might have something to say about it. I think the Mars one was Ennerre, and it’s Kappa who make them now. Then you have the shirt sponsor to consider. Bloody money in football.
65 min Johnson muscles Mane off the ball, 30 yards from goal, and drives a low shot wide of the near post. That was pretty impressive - not the shot so much as the brusque manner in which he dealt with Mane.
63 min “Hello Rob,” says Kári Tulinius. “To answer my own question, I submit Rinus Michels. After his glorious 1974 La Liga title, and his Netherlands’ run to the World Cup final, all that he had to brag about for the next decade plus was a Copa del Rey in ‘78 and a German Cup in ‘82. But then he took a great Dutch team to the Euro ‘88 title.”
Was he managed at Euro 92 as well? They were arguably an even better team then, though they ballsed it up against Denmark. Some of their football in the 3-1 win over Germany was seriously total.
61 min Jota fouls Rice 30 yards from goal on the right wing. Bowen’s free-kick is headed away at the near post by Henderson. Bowen collects the loose ball and puts in another cross; this time van Dijk heads clear.
59 min A few of you have suggested that Salah dived for the free-kick that led to Liverpool’s equaliser. There’s one angle that supports that view, though it’s hard to be absolutely sure as you can’t see whether his foot is clipped. At first I thought it was a clear foul by Rice but now I’m not so sure. We know Salah has form, certainly against West Ham. Then again, Liverpool could argue they should have been palying against 10 men from the 8th minute.
57 min: Chance for Salah! Mane’s cross deflects towards the edge of the area, where Salah waits for the ball to bounce and then whacks it wide of the near post. It was a pretty tricky chance, even for him.
57 min “Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “That Maradona tribute jersey looks like a fashion crime scene.”
56 min Benrahma has been excellent today by the way. He’s such a neat, progressive player.
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55 min Salah has a shot blocked by Zouma. West Ham break and Alexander-Arnold is booked for an unsuccessful attempt to pull back Benrahma.
54 min “I can see Colum Fordham’s point,” says Matt Dony. “It’s a shame the off-field adventures probably held Maradona back from reaching Trent’s level.”
52 min: Chance for Mane! This is turning into a cracking game. Alexander-Arnold waves a typical crossfield pass to Robertson, who cushions it back across goal on the volley. Mane meets it on the volley himself, but his shot is too straight and bounces off Fabianski. Either side and Fabianski would have struggled to save that.
50 min: Dawson hits the bar! Cresswell’s cross goes behind for a corner off Henderson’s elbow. Fornals curls another wicked corner into the six-yard box, where Dawson flicks a header onto the top of the bar!
49 min “Watching Trent’s free kick,” says Paul Fields, “I was mostly thinking how amusing it is to see a defender lying on the floor behind the wall watching a beautifully flighted free-kick arrow into the top corner.”
Misery, redefined.
48 min Fabinho stops a West Ham break with a calculated foul on Fornals.
47 min Talking of Maradona, I can’t have this shirt. If they wanted to pay tribute, they should have just updated the classic Mars kit.
46 min Peep peep! Liverpool begin the second half. No changes on either side.
“We all got up for that Brazil game in 2002 (pubs open as you’ll surely recall),” says Julian Menz. “I had to take the bus + tube into town from Muswell Hill to work, and central London was absolutely deathly. I’m sure the Specials wrote a song about it. Anyway, Seaman is blamed, but not his fault. He has to cover the likely cross. Scholes? Maybe, but naah. I blame Svennis for just giving up. You mention the heat. Fair enough, but he had the young and tricksy Joe Cole on the bench.”
Realistically, Sven was only ever going to bring on one of Cole and Kieron Dyer, and Dyer had a brilliant 2001-02 season. I suppose the brave call would have been to take off Beckham, who was barely fit, and play both Dyer and Cole for the last 20 minutes. I doubt it would have made a difference, though – Brazil were far too good, even with 10 men.
“Watching Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free kick, I was reminded (here in Naples) of Maradona’s sublime indirect free-kick against Juventus,” says Colum Fordham. “Just that Trent has a magical right foot. Ok, I don’t want to overegg the pudding.”
Half-time reading
Half time: West Ham 1-1 Liverpool
Henderson’s long-range snapshot is blocked, and that’s the end of a really good first half. Liverpool had three-quarters of the possession but West Ham had the better chances, particularly after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s delicious equaliser.
West Ham may reflect that Alisson’s own goal in the fourth minute came too early - it made them overly defensive, and a Liverpool equaliser was in the post. But when it arrived, West Ham started to attack again and had a couple of excellent openings just before half-time. More, please!
45+7 min Soucek is booked for a foul on Jota.
45+6 min: Great tackle from van Dijk! Alexander-Arnold makes a mess of a crossfield pass, allowing Benrahma to move into the area from the left. He stabs the ball back towards Bowen, who is about to shoot when van Dijk makes an vital sliding tackle.
45+5 min “I was surprised that Cresswell wasn’t sent off but if you get a red for unintentionally catching a player with your follow through then should Jota not also be counting himself as lucky he didn’t get punished for catching Ogbonna with his elbow?” says Samuel Campbell. “Again he didn’t mean it but the same argument can be made that he is careless.”
It’s a good point. It feels like, when it comes to interpreting the laws of football, a combination of VAR and social media has led to a crisis of judgement. I’ve no idea what the answer is.
45+2 min: Great chance for Antonio! What a superb break from West Ham. Benrahma, inside his own half, guides a lovely reverse pass between Matip and Alexander-Arnold to release Antonio. He charges to the edge of the Liverpool area but then leaves the ball behind, which allows Alexander-Arnold to recover and clear the danger.
45+1 min There will be six minutes of added time, mainly for the VAR checks and the Ogbonna injuries.
45 min Henderson fires a pass into Mane on the edge of the area. He moves the ball forward and drills a shot that is superbly blocked by the stretching Dawson.
44 min Liverpool deserve to be level. They have dominated possession throughout the first half.
42 min “Memories,” says Matt Dony. “Firstly - Ronaldinho absolutely meant it. Secondly - Beckham should have received more blame for jumping out of the challenge with Carlos. Thirdly - Man, I miss 2002. Almost as much as I miss the 90s.”
I thought Scholes was more culpable than Beckham for Brazil’s equaliser, though they were both split-second misjudgements really. England were never winning that game, though, not against that team in that heat.
That was top-class. Alexander-Arnold rolled the free-kick a few yards to Salah, just to change the angle. Salah stopped the ball dead and Alexander-Arnold whipped a lovely free-kick around the wall and into the net. Fabianski had no chance.
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GOAL! West Ham 1-1 Liverpool (Alexander-Arnold 41)
And Trent obliges with a majestic free-kick!
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39 min Salah is fouled on the edge of the D by Rice, a needless challenge really. This is a great chance for Trent™.
38 min Passes in the final third: West Ham 16-100 Liverpool.
37 min “As West Ham were setting up for their corner that was always going in, I was asking myself why almost no one can score from set pieces the way West Ham can,” says Ron Stack. “Do other clubs not take set pieces seriously as scoring opportunities? I remember reading about throw-in coaches; I can’t believe set-piece coaches don’t exist. A growth opportunity if so!”
A lot of clubs have them now. I suppose not all set-piece coaches are born equal.
35 min Mane’s deflected cross is headed away to the edge of the area, where Alexander-Arnold swishes an acrobatic volley over the bar. It was too high for him to control the shot.
34 min Another good cross from Henderson evades Jota and is headed away by Johnson. Liverpool are starting to look dangerous down their right.
34 min West Ham are defending very well. They need to get out more often, though. There was one good break in the 29th minute but that’s about it since the goal.
33 min “Re: the Cresswell tackle... the Spanish commentator said his foot bounced off the ball and hit the knee,” says Tony Ellis. “I agree; I would, wouldn’t I?”
Those challenges are so hard to read. There are some players – Wayne Rooney was one – who would deliberately scrape the top of the ball and follow through into the opponent. And there are plenty of others whose foot slides off the ball at a funny angle. You also have to decide whether the latter constitutes reckless or dangerous play. Like lunch, it’s difficult. In the current climate, I’m a bit surprised Cresswell got away with it, but I’m glad he did because ultimately I don’t think he had any intention of trying to do Henderson.
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32 min Liverpool’s first attempt at goal. Henderson, on the right, guides a careful cross towards Jota, unmarked 12 yards out at the near post. He flashes a header over the bar. That wasn’t a bad chance.
29 min Out of nothing, West Ham break dangerously. Antonio threads a pass towards Bowen in the area, but it’s slightly behind him and he can’t take it in his stride.
27 min Liverpool have been slightly ponderous by their standards, but they are starting to quicken the pace now. West Ham are probably being a bit too defensive, though I appreciate it’s human nature to sit back when you are 1-0 up against such a good team.
26 min “I watched 2002’s England v Argentina at a pub in Montreal, where it kicked off at 7.30am,” says Rob Moore. “Alcohol sales were only allowed from 8 onwards, so the first half hour was a harrowing experience. Spare a thought for the poor staff as the hour ticked over and a bar full of stressed England fans needed their medicine.”
I’m glad they had their medicine before the final 10 minutes of the game, which seemed to last about four days.
24 min Nothing much has happened since the goal. It’s been a stop-start game, mainly because of those injuries to Ogbonna.
23 min “My interpretation was that Ogbonna’s arm hit the arm Alisson was about to punch with,” says Neil Hattersley. “If that were a leg and a leg it would be a foul.”
That’s interesting, I’ll have a look next time they show a replay. It was quite hard to tell exactly what happened because there was so many bodies around the ball. My instinct was that, though it might have been a foul, it wasn’t a clear and obvious error. I’ll have another look at half-time, and probably realise I was wrong all along.
22 min In fact, West Ham are going to make the change: Ogbonna off, Craig Dawson on.
21 min That elbow has drawn blood above Ogbonna’s right eye. There was no malice in it, I should stress. Ogbonna is leaving the field again, this time to have the cut stitched up.
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20 min Now Ogbonna is holding his face after wearing an accidental elbow from Jota.
18 min I take it back - Ogbonna has returned to the field and wants to continue, though he is still moving a little tentatively.
18 min Another one for Kari Tulinius (14 min): Otto Rehhagel.
17 min Ogbonna won’t be able to continue. Craig Dawson is getting ready to replace him.
15 min Ogbonna is receiving treatment. He was trying to stay with Mo Salah, had to change direction suddenly and hurt his left leg in the process.
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14 min “There are few things as thrilling than when people who seemed like they were past it reach a second peak in their career,” says Kári Tulinius. “The paradigmatic case among football managers is surely Claudio Ranieri, but Moyes’s case is almost as impressive. Can you or your readers think of others?”
Sir Matt Busby after Munich is a unique example. There were some incredible lows, on and off the field, between 1958-63.
12 min An early goal is perfect for West Ham, allowing them to sit deep and break as they did so effectively when they hammered Leicester earlier in the season.
9 min “After that goal,” says Joe Pearson, “I need another glass!”
NO RED CARD FOR CRESSWELL! I’m slightly surprised by that, in the current climate, especially as such tackles look worse in slow motion. At the very least I thought the referee would be encouraged to go to the monitor.
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VAR check! Cresswell won the ball but followed through into the standing leg of Henderson. I think he’ll be sent off here.
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8 min Henderson is down after a very strong and possibly dangerous tackle by Cresswell. I’d like to see this again - he might be in trouble.
7 min Sky have confirmed that it’s an Alisson own goal.
GOAL GIVEN! I think that’s the right decision. Jurgen Klopp does not. It will probably go down as an Alisson own goal.
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VAR check for handball! It came off somebody’s hand, but I’m pretty sure it was Alisson’s.
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Liverpool are surrounding the referee, suggesting Alisson was fouled by Antonio or Ogbonna. He wasn’t. It was poor goalkeeping: Alisson came for the ball, ran into Ogbonna and then punched the ball into his own net.
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GOAL! West Ham 1-0 Liverpool (Fornals 4)
Fornals’ corner has gone straight in!
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3 min Fornals sprays a long ball out to Antonio, who wins a corner off van Dijk.
2 min West Ham have started with Benrahma on the left and Fornals as the No10. I thought they might do that so that Fornals could keep an eye on Fabinho.
2 min “Mr Pearson should visit the West Coast, where Premier League fans gather at 5am and begin their pint parade,” says Mary Waltz. “Good God man, you are a football fan, get with the program.”
Which program? The one with 12 steps?
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1 min Peep peep! West Ham kick off from left to right. They are in claret and blue; Liverpool are wearing their smart cream away kit.
This is West Ham’s last game before Remembrance Sunday, and the players of both teams have gathered round the centre circle to pay tribute. Before the Last Post is played, Sir Trevor Brooking reads out In Flanders Fields.
There’s a cracking atmosphere at the London Stadium. It’s a pleasant enough evening, dry but chilly.
“I know it’s only 11 a.m. here,” says Joe Pearson, “but we just switched off Daylight Saving Time overnight. So my body thinks it’s past noon. Does that mean I can have a glass of wine to soothe my nerves?”
You don’t need my permission to give your liver a wash, Joe. Actually, this email has reminded me of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea. I remember everyone having a couple of pints during England’s quarter-final defeat to Brazil (which kicked off, I think, at 7.30am) before going to work. (Actual work, I mean, not going to work on the spirits, although England’s impotent second-half performance doubtless drove a few people to the top shelf.)
Here’s more on Arsenal’s win over Watford, which moved them up to fifth in the table. Arteta out!
There were three 2pm games in the Premier League, and this is how they finished:
- Arsenal 1-0 Watford
- Everton 0-0 Tottenham
- Leeds 1-1 Leicester
The teams
West Ham are unchanged for the fourth league game in a row, which means Ben Johnson continues to keep Vladimir Coufal out of the side.
Jurgen Klopp has made four changes from Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Brighton last weekend: Joel Matip, Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Diogo Jota come in for Ibrahima Konate, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Roberto Firmino. All bar Konate are injured.
West Ham (4-2-3-1) Fabianski; Johnson, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice; Bowen, Fornals, Benrahma; Antonio.
Substitutes: Areola, Dawson, Coufal, Diop, Masuaku, Fredericks, Kral, Noble, Lanzini.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Jota, Mane.
Substitutes: Kelleher, Konate, Thiago, Minamino, Tsimikas, Origi, Phillips, N Williams, Morton.
Referee His name is Craig Pawson.
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of West Ham v Liverpool from the London Stadium. It’s fourth v third, which says everything about how well West Ham have started the season. The mood at the club hasn’t been so positive for years, maybe decades, although David Moyes knows that, in modern football in particular, feelgood vibes are transitory. In the next few weeks we’ll get a better idea whether West Ham are serious contenders for a Champions League place, or simply a fine team whose ceiling is fifth or sixth.
Three of West Ham’s next five league games are against the biggest of the big boys: Liverpool today, Manchester City on 28 November and Chelsea at the start of December. One of the few criticisms of Moyes’ second spell is that West Ham have often been compliant against the very best teams. But they beat City in the Carabao Cup recently, albeit on penalties after a 0-0 draw, and morale is such that they will surely have a calculated go at Liverpool today. If they do, we could be in for a belter.
Kick off 4.30pm.
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