At this level within the season, Liverpool really look unstoppable. On Sunday night on the London Stadium, they put West Ham to the sword by placing 5 unanswered targets previous the hosts. 5 targets, 5 totally different scorers: Luis Diaz (30′), Cody Gakpo (40′), Mohamed Salah (44′), Trent Alexander-Arnold (54′), and Diogo Jota (84′).
The groups
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui was with out the companies of striker Michail Antonio, who’s recovering after a automotive crash, goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski attributable to a head harm, and the suspended midfield pair of Guido Rodriguez and Tomas Soucek.
Alphonse Areola was in objective, behind the again line consisting of right-back Vladimir Coufal, centre-backs Dinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman, and left-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Edson Alvarez paired up with Carlos Soler in the midst of the park, with Lucas Paqueta becoming a member of wingers Mohammed Kudus and Emerson Palmieri in supporting Jarrod Bowen in assault.
As for Liverpool, they had been nonetheless with out defenders Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley, although each must be obtainable for his or her subsequent recreation, as ought to midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who missed this one by way of suspension.
With that in thoughts, coach Arne Slot chosen his arguably strongest XI obtainable. With Alisson Becker between the posts, Virgil van Dijk had Joe Gomez with him within the centre-back division, flanked by Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson. With no Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones was once more the person to begin in midfield with Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister. Salah on the correct, Gakpo on the left, and Diaz because the ‘false 9’, shaped a menacing attacking trio.
Sport recap
West Ham managed to climate the storm for half an hour, principally by way of Areola making a number of glorious saves to disclaim Salah, Jones and Diaz. They even got here near taking the lead early on as Bowen broke down the left and pulled it again for Paqueta on the far publish, however the Brazil worldwide misplaced his step for a second and ruined the prospect.
However within the thirtieth minute, there was no stopping Diaz as he charged by way of the center, acquired a barely fortunate bounce off Coufal, and smashed previous Areola from simply contained in the field.
Even then, the Hammers may’ve gotten again degree slightly rapidly, however Kudus was unfortunate as his shot from vary hit the publish. Solely three minutes later, they had been utterly undone by a implausible piece of intricate play from Liverpool. Mac Allister’s cross excessive appeared destined to catch Salah offside, however the Egyptian brilliantly modified course and left the ball for Jones who had made a run to the correct. There was no offside when Jones handed it to Salah, to the dismay of Mavropanos and Kilman who each acquired nutmegged within the technique of Salah aiding Gakpo at shut vary.
And if the help itself wasn’t sensible sufficient (it definitely was), Salah himself smashed previous Areola because the Hammers’ again line acquired bypassed by Jones’ cross far too simply. It wasn’t even halftime, nevertheless it was fairly apparent at that time that there was no means again for Lopetegui’s males. Areola really did effectively to stop Salah from scoring once more inside two minutes.
It was extra of the identical after the break, with Liverpool in full management of the competition and West Ham solely often coming inside attain of the guests’ field. Kudus did hit the woodwork once more (header onto the crossbar this time), however a deflected shot by Alexander-Arnold and a positive end from Diogo Jota in a while set the ultimate rating.
The one barely worrying side for Liverpool on this recreation is Gomez being forcibly withdrawn by way of a hamstring harm after 37 minutes. With that in thoughts, Konate’s imminent return to motion forward of the following match couldn’t have come at a greater time.
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool had been principally ridiculed by pundits and rival followers alike when the switch of Salah from AS Roma was confirmed again in 2017. He was described as a “Chelsea reject” and “simply one other Juan Cuadrado”, amongst different issues, however he rapidly put all such nonsense to relaxation with 32 Premier League targets in his first season on the membership.
Salah has been shining in a Liverpool shirt since, however his recreation has gone to a complete different degree this season. With the league marketing campaign nonetheless to succeed in its midway line, he has 17 targets and 13 assists to his identify. With eight matches by which he has each scored and assisted, he owns the report of the English flight on that entrance – once more, earlier than the primary half of the season is performed.
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In the mean time, it’s laborious to think about an attacking participant wherever on the planet performing wherever near the extent of the Liverpool star, and the Anfield devoted are certainly praying for an settlement between the membership and Salah’s agent over a brand new contract to be reached as quickly as attainable.
Salah is the one fixed in Slot’s formidable attacking division, beginning each recreation within the Premier League and the Champions League, repeatedly proving his value with unimaginable output. Gakpo, Diaz, Jota and Nunez, all glorious gamers, are left in his wake, competing for the remaining two attacking spots within the lineup.
Trent drops a touch?
Alexander-Arnold is one other Liverpool star whose contract is up on the finish of the season, and the hypothesis round his future grows day by day. Spanish outlet Marca, identified for doing Actual Madrid’s bidding greater than reporting soccer issues precisely, has reported that the 26-year-old England worldwide has already knowledgeable his boyhood membership of his choice to go away as a free agent and be a part of Los Blancos. The declare was, nonetheless, rapidly denied by media in England and elsewhere.
And celebrating his objective within the 54th minute, Alexander-Arnold made a hand gesture that appeared to point there had been an excessive amount of discuss.
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His celebration is definitely open to varied instructions of interpretation. It may need been a touch a technique, or the opposite, or no trace in any respect – it’s anybody’s guess. However for argument’s sake, it appears he doesn’t need his future publicly mentioned at this level, which might in all probability imply he’s but to decide.
Title race
It doesn’t actually look like a race proper now, does it?
With 18 matches performed, Liverpool prepared the ground with 45 factors, and it’s Nottingham Forest, the shock of the season, in second place with an eight-point deficit and one recreation performed greater than the Merseysiders. Arsenal path by 9, with 18 matches performed too. Chelsea are behind by 10, and Manchester Metropolis, who’ve performed 19 video games already, are gazing a whopping 14-point hole between them and the place the place they wish to be. Are the defending champions out of the race?
In all probability.
As for West Ham, they received’t be fairly as a lot troubled by the loss itself as by the style of shedding. In the mean time, they sit in thirteenth place with 23 factors, and although their Premier League standing shouldn’t actually be in danger, the membership can have had greater ambitions forward of the season, and Lopetegui’s job is way from protected.
Each Liverpool and West Ham will face groups from Manchester subsequent, and whereas Liverpool welcome United at Anfield on January fifth, West Ham journey to face Metropolis on the Etihad the day earlier than.
