Liverpool narrowly won 3-2 over West Ham United with difficulty in the 27th week of the English Premier League at Anfield Stadium on Tuesday (25/2).
Liverpool took the lead in the ninth minute through Georginio Wijnaldum who made use of a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross. Measured bait from Alexander-Arnold headed by Wijnaldum to the right side of the West Ham goal. The fast sliding ball could not be anticipated by goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Three minutes later the visitors gave a goal back to equalize. Wijnaldum’s header was returned by Issa Diop’s header in the 12th minute that made use of Robert Snodgrass’s assist.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free kick in the 38th minute thin sideways on the right side of goalkeeper Fabianski. One minute later Van Dijk’s header hit the crossbar after welcoming Alexander-Arnold’s free kick.
In the 54th minute Pablo Fornals gave West Ham the lead. Fornals who were not guarded tightly by Liverpool defender breaking into Alisson’s goal after receiving a short cross from Declan Rice from the right side.
A barrage of attacks was launched by Liverpool in the middle of the second half to get the equalizer. One of them was Alexander-Arnold’s shot from outside the penalty box in the 61st minute which could be ignored by Fabianski.
Fabianski who previously made many brilliant rescues actually made a blunder in the 69th minute. Mohamed Salah’s left foot kick which was not too cocky from inside the penalty box failed to catch by Fabianski. Salah kicks the ball smoothly between the legs of Fabianski.
In order to dismantle West Ham’s defense, the Reds rely more on crossing passes, both from the back line and from both wings.
Liverpool turned 3-2 ahead in the 81st minute through a Sadio Mane goal. The goal stems from Alexander-Arnold’s pass which struck Fabianski’s thigh, the ball rolling in front of West Ham’s goal easily Mane cheated into a goal.
Mane scored again in the 86th minute. However, the goal was canceled by VAR because the former Southampton player was first in an offside position.
West Ham almost equalized after Jarrod Bowen got a pass from Michail Antonio in the 88th minute. However, Bowen who had faced one on one with Alisson failed to beat the Brazilian goalkeeper. The final score remains 3-2 for Liverpool.
