Saturday 4 November 2017

FT Notes: West Ham 1-4 Liverpool

Sports - Football - Premier League - WHU 1:4 LFC

Biggest pre-match news: Sadio Mané starts for Liverpool after long absence!!! And stopper Simon Mignolet skippers the Reds in Jordan Henderson's absence due to injury.

2' West Ham keeper Joe Hart blocks Roberto Firmino after an early Liverpool free kick, Alberto Moreno brought down loud and painful.

6' Hammers play the ball too far and out for a throw a second time they look close to pushing forward, Obiang with the overhit this time.

9' Ayew hits the post after breaking clear and collecting Lanzini's ball over the top, looking to curl the ball around and past a hesitant Mignolet, Liverpool caught sleeping and running behind.

13' Hernandez goes to ground a little too over-dramatic there, ref doesn't give anything, Bilić is furious. A couple of minutes break as Hernandez receives treatment.

15' Lanzini takes a free kick from about 25 yards out, cleared by the Reds.

16' A lot of tumbles and falls, appeals for free kicks, the ref's whistle on high demand, the visitors winning the call this time in their own half.

18' Offside flag up against Hernandez, Hammers pushing more as the Reds keep losing the ball.

21' Fernandes wins the first corner of the game, on the right, off his throw, the home side on top at the moment. As I write that, the corner is cleared, Mané and Salah break clear, KILLER COUNTER, 0-1! Mané runs and runs and passes to his right, Salah gratefully collects, controls and taps it in with his left, Hart well beaten. BOOM!

24' Salah corner, first for the Reds, Hart punches away NOBLE's block, nearly an own goal there, but MATIP NETS the rebound with his right boot, wham, bam, thank you ma'am, 0-2.

Liverpool are on their way to their first back-to-back league wins since August.

There were just two minutes and 37 seconds between the two LFC goals. West Ham co-owner David Gold does not look impressed.

34' Liverpool happy to play kick-about in the middle of the park, comfy with the two-goal lead, West Ham growing more and more frustrated.

37' First booking goes to West Ham skipper Noble for diving, cheeky one the French commentators say, stupid one I say!

40' Some harsh tackling, but Klopp and Bilić are going more mental than anyone else at the moment, great entertainment on the sideline, like a dance choreography between the two managers.

44' Roadrunner style, Salah breaks on the right, wins a corner, second for the Reds, Hart collects.

45' Mané gives away a free kick, soft one, the home side looking for anything and everything, desperate.

Two minutes added on before the break, loud boos echoing around London Stadium, the Hammer fans are not happy.

Mignolet comes out of the box, unable to clear the ball against Ayew on the right, flappy, floppy, needless.

But I'm happy, nothing comes off that little slip up, Liverpool stay two goals up at the break, West Ham drawing a much more sloppy and frustrated picture!

HT Stats: WHU 0-2 LFC
Possession: 43%-57%
Shots: 2-3
On target: 0-3
Corners: 1-2
Fouls: 5-6
Yellow cards: 1-0

Andy Carroll is brought on for West Ham at the break. Surprised to see Fernandes is the one replaced, who had a lot of influence and power in the first half, the little the Hammers created.

47' Reid booked for foul on Mané, cynical one.

49' Mané shot wide, goal kick for the Hammers.

51' Carroll elbows Matip, concedes a free kick, but avoids a card, very lucky escape there.

54' Flag goes up against Lanzini, clearly offside.

55' Mané goes down again, nothing given, lucky not to end up in the books... LANZINI, chest, right foot, right corner, cheeky, pokey one! 1-2 AND GAME ON!

56' OXLAAAAADE right foot, blocked and denied well by Hart, BUT CHAMBERLAIN NETS THE REBOUND with his left foot!!! 1-3 thanks to Oxlade-Chamberlain, the former Gunner's first league goal for the Reds, just when the Hammers thought they were back in it!!! Hart looks devastated, Bilić can't believe it! Nicely set up by Firmino by the way.

59' LANZINI AGAIAIAIN, this time high, tight angle again, so close. I. Can't. Keep. Up.

60' Mignolet gets the ball, Lanzini goes down, soft, softer, the softest, nothing given, game on.

61' Bilić has had enough, brings on Arnautovic in place of Noble. The skipper is injured actually. My mistake.

62' Free kick for the Hammers on the left, Lanzini takes, Chicharito heads it high.

64' Lanzini flagged offside again, close one this time. Hammers edging closer, Mignolet takes the kick.

65' Free kick given against the Ox, a bit late there, and nowhere near the ball, faire enough.

66' Mignolet catches, Carroll and Can are down after a collision.

69' Hernandez heads high, claims push, nothing given, goal kick. Firmino puts a shot across goal and wide on the other side.

72' Last change for the Hammers, Javier Hernandez is replaced by Diafra Sakho with just under 20 minutes to go.

75:01 SALAH MAKES IT FOUR!!! Sadio Mané with the build-up, runs, stumbles, falls over a challenge, gets back up again, runs on, provides Salah with the perfect ball into the box, edge of the box, the Egyptian takes and nets with the left foot! 1-4, a lot of fans are heading for the exits.

Salah is just one league goal behind a certain Harry Kane totalling seven in the league and twelve in total for the Reds this season.

77' And James Milner replaces Sadio Mané, Klopp is taking no fitness risk here.

81' Salah left-footer from the centre of the box, Hart catches.

84' Liverpool attack again, Salah shoots again, blocked by Hammers defence this time, for a change.

86' Milner shot wide, had all the time and space in the world, with a couple of team mates, a bit selfish there by the sub.

86' Liverpool on the attack again, Firmino shot goes high.

87' Second Liverpool change, Dejan Lovren comes on for the Ox. And last change at the same time, Solanke replaces Firmino, hug from the German coach.

89' Chance after chance for the Reds, the visitors win a corner, Milner cross, blocked, free kick to the Hammers, Matip fouled Reid.

90' Lanzini is booked and free kick goes to the Reds near the middle-line.

Three minutes added on, YNWA echoes around the London Stadium. Klopp is all smiles with the fourth official.

Kick-about for the Reds near the centre circle, Hart clears the ball eventually.

Goal kick to the Hammers, the whistle and boos go eventually, Bilić gutted, the ground is empty already.

Klopp is pushing and sending his team out onto the pitch, with many thanks I hope and think.

Much needed goals, much needed win, much needed points for the Reds.

The win takes them up to sixth, level on points with Chelsea and Arsenal in fourth and fifth respectively, who face Manchester United and Manchester City respectively tomorrow.

West Ham drop down to 17th, one point off the drop zone, where Everton and Palace have a game in hand.

Their points total after 11 games matches their 2010-11 season when they were relegated from the top flight.

I will be very surprised if Bilić stays in the job... The international break giving more time to find a replacement...

FT Stats: WHU 1-4 LFC
Possession: 48%-52%
Shots: 6-15
On target: 1-7
Corners: 2-3
Fouls: 9-13
Yellow cards: 3-0

West Ham Goal: Lanzini 55'.

Liverpool Goals: Salah 21', Matip 24', Oxlade-Chamberlain 56' & Salah 76'.

West Ham Team: 25 Hart; 21 Ogbonna, 8 Kouyate, 2 Reid (booked 47'); 3 Cresswell, 16 Noble (c) (booked 37') (Arnautovic 61'), 10 Lanzini (booked 90'), 14 Obiang, 31 Fernandes (9 Carroll HT); 17 Hernandez (15 Sakho 72'), 20 Ayew. 3-5-2
Substitutes not used: 13 Adrian, 23 Haksabanovic, 26 Masuaku, 41 Rice.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet (c); 18 Moreno, 17 Klavan, 32 Matip, 12 Gomez; 5 Wijnaldum, 23 Can, 21 Oxlade-Chamberlain (6 Lovren 87'); 19 Mané (7 Milner 77'), 9 Firmino (29 Solanke 77'), 11 Salah. 4-3-3
Substitutes not used: 1 Karius, 15 Sturridge, 16 Grujic, 66 Alexander-Arnold.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick
Man of the match: Mohamed Salah
Ground: London Stadium
Attendance: 56,961

All facts and stats were taken from the BBC website and SFR live match coverage.

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