Good afternoon, My name is Ted Burchell and I will be running you through the events of todays Premier League clash at the London Stadium between hosts West Ham who look to continue a good run of form, currently sitting in fourth place, and favourites Liverpool who can move up to second in the league with anything other than a loss. The player to watch today is Mo Salah, the current league top scorer who looks to enlist yet another game in this world class run of form.
The lineups are in, Lets take a look:
1′ KICK-OFF – Today’s referee is Craig Pawson and he blows his whistle to get the game underway
3′ West ham have an early corner conceded out wide by Virgil Van Dijk
4′ GOAL!
West Ham 1-0 Liverpool – Alisson is bamboozled by an outrageously whipped corner by Pablo Fornals on the left side. It goes down as an own goal for the Liverpool goalkeeper, an incredible start to what was always going to be an exciting game.
8′ A very strong challenge from Cresswell sees Jordan Henderson hurt on the floor and the ball is passed out of play. VAR check the incident for a possible red card before dismissing the idea
12′ West Ham concede a free kick in a central position, with Ben Johnson just getting too tight to Sadio Mane who uses his body well to force a foul from Johnson.
13′ The free kick is taken short and Liverpool look to play the ball through instead, however nothing comes of the chance
15′ A sharp change of direction from Mo Salah sends Angelo Ogbonna tumbling to the floor holding his knee, lets just hope it isn’t too serious. Declan Rice drops into the backline while Ogbonna is treated on the sideline
18′ Craig Dawson warms up on the sideline, however Ogbonna returns to the field, an injury that may see him coming off earlier than expected
20′ Ogbonna forces a stop in play yet again after a clash with Diogo Jota, seeing him go down clutching his face. Nothing serious in the challenge however, and play resumes as he is treated. Again, Rice covers for the central defender
22′ West Ham substitution – Injured Ogbonna comes off for Craig Dawson
25′ Chance for Liverpool that sees Alexander-Arnold loft a ball into the box towards Mane, however Johnson calmly sees the ball out of play
32′ Chance for Liverpool. Henderson crosses the ball in towards Jota who powerfully headers over the bar and onto the roof of the net, a chance that could have seen the game levelled
33′ A foul by Thomas Soucek gives Liverpool a free kick in a dangerous looking area. The ball is whipped in by Alexander-Arnold but it is easily cleared away. A poor attempt by the away side
35′ Liverpool continue to attack at West Ham, as Alexander-Arnold fires a half volley from the edge of the box well over the bar. A poor effort, however yet another chance for the trailing team. West Ham aren’t seeing much of the ball towards the end of the first half, having just 13 passes in the attacking third compared to Liverpool’s 100 so far
39′ Rice concedes a poor challenge on Mo Salah on the edge of the box, a chance that Liverpool will be looking to capitalise on, as Alexander Arnold stands over the ball, you would really fancy him on this one
41′ GOAL!
West Ham 1-1 Liverpool – Alexander-Arnold whips a fabulous free-kick into the top right corner, his first goal for the reds since April
45+2′ Michail Antonio is played in behind the Liverpool defence in a brilliant chance for the hammers, however the ball gets stuck under his feet and Van Dijk catches up to squander the striker’s attempts.
45+5′ Liverpool win a corner to be taken by Alexander-Arnold as they look to take the lead before half time. The corner is cleared away by the West Ham defence
45+7′ Soucek is shown a yellow card after a poor challenge on Jota on the halfway line.
45+8′ HALF-TIME – West Ham 1-1 Liverpool
This exciting first half saw West Ham take an early lead courtesy of an Alisson own goal from a corner, before Liverpool fired all cannons and eventually found an equaliser four minutes before half time through a wonderful Alexander-Arnold free-kick planted into the top right corner.
There are no half time changes for either team.
46′ Second half KICK-OFF
50′ OFF THE BAR! Craig Dawson fires off the crossbar with a strong header from a Fornals corner. He leapt above everyone else and made brilliant contact on the ball to send it goal-bound
52′ WHAT A SAVE! Fabianski makes a fine save to deny Mane from short range following a smart volleyed cross from the left via Robertson.
56′ Yellow card for Alexander-Arnold after he brings down Benrahma in the Liverpool half.
67′ GOAL!
West Ham 2-1 Liverpool – Pablo Fornals doubles the home side’s tally to lead the match after a brilliant counter attack run in behind. The spaniard scores his fourth goal of the season for West Ham and what a goal it was!
69′ Liverpool substitution – Thiago Alcantara on for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in an attempt to open up the West Ham defence and protect the impressive 25-game away unbeaten run they look set to be losing
75′ GOAL!
West Ham 3-1 Liverpool – Yet another set-piece goal for West Ham! Kurt Zouma heads home from the back post to score his first goal for the club following a wonderfully taken corner by Fornals.
76′ Liverpool substitution – Divock Origi comes on to replace Jota, a change that is aimed to bring a fresh pair of attacking legs to pull this game back
79′ Liverpool substitution – Takumi Minamino enters play with Fabinho leaving the pitch to make way.
83′ GOAL!
West Ham 3-2 Liverpool – Divock Origi scores a crucial goal yet again straight after coming on in a brilliant piece of skill, seeing him control the ball from the air on the spin before half-volleying the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.
85′ The attacking substitutions seem to have paid off as Minamino and Origi look dangerous in the late attacks in this crucial portion of the match for Liverpool
86′ West ham substitution – Said Benrahma leaves the field to be replaced by defender Arthur Masuaku
90′ A risky free kick is conceded by Soucek about five yards from the edge of the box
90+1′ HOW HAS HE MISSED? Alexander-Arnold drifts a beautiful delivery form the free-kick to the back-post where Mane heads the ball across the face of the goal just past the post.
90+4′ FULL TIME – West Ham United 3-2 Liverpool
What a game! this five-goal thriller sees West Ham go above Liverpool and climb up into third place, after David Moyes’s first victory over Liverpool in an absolutely phenomenal performance by the team. This victory sees West Ham obtain their best ever points return after the first 11 games of the season this Moyes team really is something to be afraid of.
From Liverpool’s perspective, it was a disappointing result to end their 25 game away unbeaten run and a game that saw them unable to take chances that you would expect the calibre of this Liverpool team to tuck away, but it just wasn’t their day.
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