Liverpool earned the victory they desperately needed to restore some
confidence after Rafael Benitez's worst week at Anfield so far.
The Spanish manager had been pilloried following the dreadful defeats at
Fulham and then, in the Carling Cup, at Crystal Palace.
But West Ham could not manage a third capital embarrassment, even if they did
produce a creditable attacking performance which never quite had the cutting
edge needed to really worry the European champions.
Xabi Alonso's long-range effort gave Liverpool a half-time lead but it was not
until the final minutes when West Ham shuffled their team to try to grab a point
that Liverpool sealed victory with Bolo Zenden's first goal for the club.
Benitez, often accused of not knowing his best team, went back to basics in an
attempt to drag Liverpool out of their crisis in confidence.
He opted for a 4-4-2 formation with John Arne Riise returning to left-back
among seven changes from the side who lost at Selhurst Park. The only surprise
was seeing Peter Crouch on the bench with Fernando Morientes preferred in
attack.
West Ham, without a win at Anfield since 1963, had Anton Ferdinand and Yossi
Benayoun back after minor injuries and manager Alan Pardew gave loan forward
David Bellion his full Premiership debut for the club.
But it was West Ham who posed the first threat when Paul Konchesky's free-kick
angled into the box and Marlon Harewood, for some reason, turned it away from
goal rather than hitting it towards the unguarded near post.
Liverpool had started with Steven Gerrard on the right but he popped up all
over midfield. One of his dangerous crosses resulted in a corner which saw Luis
Garcia cut in from the right to fire an angled shot which Danny Gabbidon
blocked.
West Ham's inability to clear Garcia's corner cost them dearly on 18 minutes
when the ball only got as far as the edge of the box and Alonso sent a low drive
which flicked off Tomas Repka's head, curled away from Shaka Hislop and settled
in the bottom corner of the net.
Morientes was booked for hauling back Nigel Reo-Coker in midfield but
Liverpool appeared intent on finding the second goal which would give them
breathing space. Gerrard came closest two minutes later with a fierce drive just
wide from 20 yards.
Sami Hyypia had a header blocked on the line by Konchesky, and West Ham
scrambled the ball away when Morientes went for the rebound, again Konchesky
making the vital block.
The east Londoners replaced Bellion with Jeremie Aliadiere and seconds later
Repka got in on the right to fire in a near-post cross which almost caught Jose
Reina off his line.
But Liverpool were turning the screw, and Gerrard should have shot 18 yards
out rather than trying to set up Morientes with a chance. The ball drifted
behind.
West Ham brought on Teddy Sheringham for Matthew Etherington, but Morientes
should have scored a minute later when he met a Gerrard cross but could not
direct it far enough away from Shaka Hislop's dive.
Hislop produced the save of the match to turn away Garcia's shot after Danny
Gabbidon had been caught in possession.
Steve Finnan was booked for a foul on Konchesky before Bolo Zenden replaced
Djibril Cisse, and with his first touch the Dutchman produced a cross which
Garcia headed wide of the far post.
Hislop had to save at Morientes' feet as Liverpool mounted sustained
pressure.
West Ham then gambled and lost. They took off Repka and sent on centre-half
James Collins, who went up front. It left West Ham playing with three defenders
and the space on the left was instantly exploited by Liverpool.
Riise's headed clearance dropped into Zenden's path, without a defender near
him. With eight minutes remaining, he cut into the box and drilled his shot in
off the far post to claim his first goal for Liverpool.
Collins was soon moved back to centre-half with Gabbidon moving to right-back
it was too late to save the Hammers.
Teams:
Liverpool Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise,
Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Cisse (Zenden 73),
Morientes (Crouch 90).
Subs Not Used: Hamann, Carson, Warnock.
Booked: Morientes, Finnan.
Goals: Alonso 18, Zenden 82.
West Ham Hislop, Repka (Collins 81), Ferdinand, Gabbidon,
Konchesky, Benayoun, Reo-Coker, Mullins,
Etherington (Sheringham 67), Bellion (Aliadiere 60), Harewood.
Subs Not Used: Bywater, Dailly.
Att: 44,537
Ref: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).
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