Liverpool 2-1 West Ham: Diogo Jota's late goal saves lacklustre Liverpool
Liverpool equalled a club record of 63 league games unbeaten at Anfield and in the process moved back to the top of the Premier League after a 2-1 comeback victory over West Ham.
Substitute Diogo Jota grabbed the winner for a lacklustre Liverpool five minutes from time, just moments after having another goal ruled out by VAR, to inflicted West Ham's first defeat in four games and leave them still searching for just their second win at Anfield in 56 years.
Pablo Fornals gave the visitors a shock lead, pouncing on a poor Joe Gomez clearance to fire past Alisson from the edge of the box early on, before Mohamed Salah levelled from the penalty spot just before the interval.
A dull game, where Liverpool lacked cutting edge and West Ham looked happy to defend and stay in their own half, was eventually decided as fellow sub Xherdan Shaqiri slipped a superb through-ball to Jota who smashed home.
The result moved Jurgen Klopp's side to top of the table on 16 points, but they will be replaced by former leaders Everton, should the Toffees win at Newcastle on Sunday.
🤩 That's what champions do!
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) October 31, 2020
Jota gives a lacklustre Liverpool another big win thanks to this late winner.
That's a club record equaling 63 home league games unbeaten and back to the top of the Premier League table.pic.twitter.com/EoBfPnlLWB
It was a first half with limited chances, with just one shot on target coming in open play. That was the opening goal on ten minutes from a swift Hammers' counter-attack, which took advantage of Liverpool's recent defensive fatalities.
A cross from the left was tamely headed clear by Gomez straight to Fornals, who had lost his marker, the ball watching Curtis Jones, and thus he had plenty of time to bring the ball down, control and then fire into the bottom left corner.
Moyes appeared to have learned the lessons from being cut apart by Tottenham in the 3-3 draw and his now much more compact and organised midfield frustrated Liverpool, just as it did to Manchester City last weekend.
The Hammers allowed the champions no space in the final third, limiting Liverpool to just two shots off target in the first 40 minutes with a Jordan Henderson shot wide and a wild Andy Robertson volley their only efforts.
⚒️ West Ham have been excellent in the first half at Anfield and rightly had Liverpool worried after this fantastic strikepic.twitter.com/CWG4S8HqQt
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) October 31, 2020
But that stifling good work was undone as Arthur Masuaku foolishly and needlessly tapped at the heels of Salah when the Egyptian brought the ball down in the box. Liverpool's number 11 happily smashed his penalty down the middle of the goal for the equaliser five minutes from the break.
Despite their tails being up going into the dressing rooms, the expected Liverpool second half onslaught never materialised, and the second period delivered even less entertainment and goal scoring chances.
The first moment of quality only came 70 minutes in from the Liverpool skipper Henderson, whose 40 yard pass from right to left found the on-rushing Robertson, who brought the ball down on his chest on the run in the box, raced to the byline and crossed with Salah and Sadio Mane ready for a tap in, only to see keeper Lukasz Fabianski make a vital interception.
💥 After limiting Liverpool to just two wild wide shots, they shoot themselves in the foot at the end of the half and Mo Salah does what he does best....pic.twitter.com/UMGREmXgEo
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) October 31, 2020
That lifted Liverpool, alongside the introduction of Jota, who thought he'd banged in another winning goal for his new club ten minutes from time. The former Wolves man raced into the box and his cross was met by Sadio Mane, whose shot could only be parried by Fabianski.
Mane went in to tap home the rebound, only for the ball to instead flick out to Jota, who smashed home. But a long VAR review advised ref Kevin Friend to check the on-field monitor and on review the official ruled Mane had fouled a isiting defender in the goalmouth scramble.
But Jota was not to be denied another Anfield magic moment. Slick, quick passing on the edge of the Hammers box allowed Shaqiri the time to slip a nutmeg pass through a tiring Hammers defence to pick out Jota's late run and fire into the top corner from 10 yards out.
Liverpool know they will need to be much sharper at both ends of the pitch next Sunday when they travel to title rivals Manchester City, but for now will be delighted to have scrapped three points, when one looked most likely.
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