Final Thoughts: Liverpool clinch crucial victory over West Ham United | OneFootball

West Ham 0 – 2 Liverpool – Premier League Postmortem

After the humiliation delivered by PSV in midweek and the sense that Liverpool were edging closer to an irreversible crisis, this trip to the London Stadium felt like a crossroads moment for Arne Slot’s faltering reign. With seven defeats in all competitions heading into the weekend, the expectation was that West Ham — physical, direct, and perfectly suited to exposing Liverpool’s fragilities — would deliver the final blow.

Instead, Liverpool produced something we have not seen for weeks: control, composure, and conviction. It was not spectacular, nor a game to rewrite the season’s trajectory, but it was competent football, finally delivered by a group that looked unified rather than fractured. Against a West Ham side expected to bombard and disrupt, Liverpool stood firm, imposed themselves, and walked away with a clean sheet and two vital goals — a first step on a very long road. I don’t know if this is a moment that defies reality, however, it feels relieving to write about a win.

Photo: IMAGO

The Starting Eleven

Liverpool XI

• GK – Alisson Becker

• RB – Joe Gomez

• CB – Ibrahima Konaté

• CB – Virgil van Dijk (c)

• LB – Milos Kerkez

• CM – Alexis Mac Allister

• CM – Ryan Gravenberch

• CM – Dominik Szoboszlai

• RW – Florian Wirtz

• CF – Alexander Isak

• LW – Cody Gakpo

Substitutes

Hugo Ekitike → Alexander Isak (68’)

Curtis Jones → Florian Wirtz (75’)

Andy Robertson → Milos Kerkez (85’)

Goals

West Ham 0 – 1 Liverpool – Alexander Isak (Cody Gakpo) – 58’

West Ham 0 – 2 Liverpool – Cody Gakpo (Joe Gomez) – 78’

Match Statistics

• Possession – West Ham 44% | Liverpool 56%

• XG – West Ham 0.29 | Liverpool 1.34

• Total Shots – West Ham 7 | Liverpool 9

• Fouls – West Ham 12 | Liverpool 14

• Corners – West Ham 7 | Liverpool 2

• Saves – West Ham 3 | Liverpool 0

First Half

An anxious away end watched Liverpool begin with more purpose than in recent weeks, though still carrying the scars of their midweek implosion. West Ham’s expected aerial onslaught never fully materialised, largely because Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk imposed early command, while Kerkez offered sorely needed width down the left.

The visitors dominated possession but lacked incision until Florian Wirtz began to drift into pockets that unsettled West Ham’s rigid shape. Despite long spells of sterile control, the first half felt like the foundation of something steadier — Liverpool were not electric, but they were organised, disciplined, and unwilling to be bullied. Steady and assured became apparent, as a slightly altered shape that did not include Mohamed Salah began to look formidable.

Second Half

The restart brought something Liverpool desperately needed: bravery in the final third. Wirtz orchestrated, Gravenberch drove, and Szoboszlai supplied the aggression and tempo that have defined his season. This moment has often brought a counterattack, yet in this moment a record-breaking signing finally made his mark.

The breakthrough came when Cody Gakpo, finally operating with sharpness and clarity, slipped a well-weighted pass into Alexander Isak, whose touch and finish were clinical — a moment that felt like the first real exhale Liverpool supporters had enjoyed in weeks.

As West Ham chased, Liverpool countered with intelligence. The second goal arrived through Gakpo, who reacted quickest to loose play in the box and sealed the win with a smart finish that showcased exactly why this system suits him better.

Final Thoughts

This wasn’t redemption, nor a signal that everything is fixed — but it was a lifeline to satisfy the moment. Liverpool looked structured, motivated, and finally capable of absorbing pressure without disintegrating. Arne Slot, under immense scrutiny, delivered a tactical plan that brought stability and purpose, while key performers — Wirtz, Gakpo, Gomez, and Isak — stepped up.

It does not erase the chaos of recent weeks, nor should it. It does not silence the questions about leadership, recruitment, or whether this team has outgrown its manager. But it does grant Liverpool a foothold from which to rebuild.

A rare clean sheet. A needed win. A sign of life.

Now the challenge is simple: sustain it and move back up the league standings.

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction:

West Ham 3 – 1 Liverpool