Mohamed Salah scored one and assisted the other as Liverpool clinched a 2-0 win at West Ham to go 19 points clear at the top of the Premier League.
West Ham 0-2 Liverpool
Premier League (24), London Stadium
January 29, 2020
Goals
Salah pen 35′ (assist – Origi)
Oxlade-Chamberlain 52′ (assist – Salah)
Before the game, David Moyes spoke of the need for luck in order for his side to take a result for Liverpool’s game in hand, and he certainly set his side up with a cynical bent—a back-five system allowing the Reds to dominate.
The visitors took time to find their openings, however, and when West Ham did break the east London crowd roared them on in hope of a stroke of fortune, though a long-ball approach suited Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk.
Much of Liverpool’s play was funnelled down the left through Andy Robertson, with the Scot’s teasing cross evading Divock Origi and Salah early on, while his own dinked effort skidded just wide.
The opener came via a brilliantly spotted pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right, though, with the No. 66 picking out Roberto Firmino who found Origi, and after a hilariously late challenge from Issa Diop, Salah was able to convert from the spot.
West Ham were increasingly incensed as decisions continued to go against them, but they were masters of their own downfall in the first half as they sat deeper and deeper.
HT: West Ham 0-1 Liverpool
The second half began with an example of the perfect counter-attack, and it saw Salah make amends for his blinkered showing at Wolves as he produced a sumptuous pass to thread Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain through to make it 2-0.
At the other end, Alisson was required to provide a strong stop to keep out an effort from Robert Snodgrass, with the Hammers seeming to find pockets of space when the damage was already done.
It became a routine contest for Liverpool, though at times they were sloppy, and somehow Alexander-Arnold hammered his own post after Alisson did well to keep out Declan Rice.
The lead allowed Jurgen Klopp to introduce Fabinho, Naby Keita and Jones, with Keita making his first appearance since January 2 as Jordan Henderson took up his third role of the game—shifting to right-back late on.
Another fine stop from Brazil’s No. 1 ensured another clean sheet, as Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the league to 19 points, having now finally gone level on games played.
TIA Man of the Match: Alisson
Referee: Jon Moss
West Ham: Fabianski; Ngakia, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Masuaku; Rice, Noble, Snodgrass; Lanzini (Fornals 68′); Haller
Subs not used: Randolph, Cardosa, Balbuena, Zabaleta, Sanchez, Ajeti
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Keita 78′), Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Jones 86′), Wijnaldum; Salah, Origi (Fabinho 69′), Firmino
Subs not used: Adrian, Matip, Lovren, Minamino
Next Match: Southampton (H) – Premier League – Saturday, Feb 1, 3pm (GMT)
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