Liverpool moved 19 points clear at the top of the Premier League table as they cruised to a 2-0 win over West Ham United at London Stadium.
Mohamed Salah kept his impressive season going strong with a goal from the penalty spot before setting up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who sealed the three points and moved the visitors one step closer towards becoming Premier League champions.
Positives
There’s something so mesmerizing about the way Liverpool are able to control the ball in such an entertaining way, as they move it around so quickly and precisely that they don’t give their opponents time to breathe. They were able to swarm West Ham and as the game went on, they transitioned into more of a counter-attacking stance that worked wonders.
Negatives
There was an extra layer of complacency that crept into Liverpool’s game in the second half as they were allowing West Ham to come forward and test the waters of their back four. While they may have been structured, they were far too willing to sit back and invite attempts from the Hammers -which is an opportunity that a better side would’ve taken advantage of.
Manager rating out of 10
8 — At this stage in proceedings, Jurgen Klopp’s work has been done for him courtesy of the groundwork which has been laid over the course of the last few months. He set up with the familiar 4-3-3, the substitutions were well timed, and he has this team playing with the sort of composure that would lead many to believe they’ve been playing together for over a decade.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Alisson, 8 — Following an uneventful first half, the superstar goalkeeper produced two gorgeous saves in the 55th and 85th minute to preserve the clean sheet.
DF Trent Alexander-Arnold, 7 — His usual attacking prowess was absent tonight, with the highlight of his coming when he nearly scored a tremendous own goal only to smash the ball off the post.
DF Joe Gomez, 8 — The passing accuracy of the Englishman needs to be appreciated alongside his ice-cold timing and confidence on the ball.
DF Virgil van Dijk, 8 — There’s a smothering nature to Van Dijk’s game that rarely allows centre-forwards to get past him, which was the case again tonight.
DF Andrew Robertson, 7 — As the game went on he appeared to be slowing down, but his overlapping runs are a constant danger and he seemed more assured than against Wolves.
MF Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 7 — All Ox needs is one opportunity to make an impact, and he got that with a tidy finish for Liverpool’s second goal of the game.
MF Jordan Henderson, 8 — The underrated nature of Liverpool’s midfield maestro continues with his great vision and impeccable leadership.
MF Georginio Wijnaldum, 7 — His touch let him down a few times tonight, but alongside Henderson, he seems to add a spark to Liverpool’s starting XI middle of the park.
FW Mohamed Salah, 9 — In one of his best showings of the season so far, Salah smashed home from the penalty spot and put the ball on a plate with a killer through ball for the second from Ox.
FW Roberto Firmino, 7 — The “never say die” attitude of Firmino ensures that no chance is ever gone for the Reds, as was proven with his work in the build-up to the penalty being won.
FW Divock Origi, 6 — While he may have won the penalty it was another pretty quiet night at the office for the cult hero forward who struggled to seize this opportunity.
Substitutes
MF Fabinho, 6 — The Brazilian still looks a bit rusty, but after being brought on late in the game it was all about getting some minutes under his belt as opposed to making a credible impact.
MF Naby Keita, N/A — The substitute looked like a much more well-rounded option than Oxlade-Chamberlain in just 20 minutes of action, predominantly due to his ability to move the ball and find open spaces.
MF Curtis Jones, N/A — It was a brief cameo for the youngster who will likely be given a bigger chance to shine against Shrewsbury.
