Liverpool’s hopes of clinching the Premier League title suffered another blow as they were unable to secure a victory, settling for a 2-2 draw against West Ham United.
Despite taking the lead with goals from Andy Robertson and an Angelo Ogbonna own goal, Liverpool failed to maintain their advantage, showcasing vulnerability in their defense that allowed West Ham to level the score. This result marks the fourth occasion in five league matches where Jurgen Klopp’s team has dropped points, significantly denting their aspirations of challenging Manchester City and Arsenal for the championship.
In the 11th minute, Liverpool had an opportunity to open the scoring when Harvey Elliott found himself with a chance at the back post, but his shot crashed into the side netting, denying them an early lead.
Just three minutes later, Reds’ goalkeeper Alisson Becker was called into action, making his first save of the game by comfortably dealing with Jarrod Bowen’s shot.
Liverpool believed they had earned a penalty in the 27th minute when Cody Gakpo was brought down just yards from the goal, but the decision was overturned as Luis Diaz was deemed to have been offside in the build-up. Then, in the 40th minute, Diaz cut inside and unleashed a shot that seemed destined for the net, only to strike the post, leaving home keeper Alphonse Areola rooted to his spot.
Despite Liverpool’s dominance, West Ham posed a threat on the counter-attack, with Alisson doing well to deflect Bowen’s shot around the post in the 43rd minute. However, from the resulting corner, West Ham’s key player found himself unmarked and headed the ball into the far corner, equalizing the score.
Liverpool needed to step up their game in the second half if they hoped to challenge City and Arsenal. They did just that and quickly leveled the score within three minutes of the restart. Andy Robertson made a daring move into the box and managed to slot the ball past Areola.
As the Reds gained momentum, their persistence paid off with a stroke of luck in the 65th minute. Cody Gakpo’s volley from a corner was mishit, deflecting off Angelo Ogbonna and into the back of the net.
However, Liverpool’s lead was short-lived. With less than 15 minutes remaining in regular time, Liverpool conceded yet another avoidable goal. Bowen delivered a cross that met the head of Michail Antonio, who expertly positioned himself to outmaneuver Jarell Quansah and head the ball into the net.
Player Ratings:
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6
Handled Mohammed Kudus reasonably well defensively but had limited impact in attack. His free-kick, reminiscent of his goal against Fulham, sailed over the bar.
Jarell Quansah – 6
Showed strength in defense, notably shielding Paquetá, but struggled against Antonio for the equalizer. Positioned well and comfortable on the ball, aiding Alexander-Arnold against Kudus.
Virgil van Dijk – 6
Delivered his usual solid performance, showing strength and composure on the ball. However, his marking was lacking for Bowen’s goal, though he cannot control every aspect of the game.
Andy Robertson – 7
Scored the equalizer and posed a threat down the flank. Despite some wasted crosses, he had a generally decent performance, albeit quietening in the second half.
Ryan Gravenberch – 7
Had an early shot fly over the bar and found himself in promising positions throughout the match. Showed potential, reminiscent of his performance against Fulham, but lacked the finishing touch this time.
Wataru Endō – 5
Appeared somewhat uncertain and hesitant at times during the game, with limited distribution skills. His lack of speed became apparent on a large pitch, particularly when facing pressure from West Ham players.
Alexis Mac Allister – 6
Endured a couple of heavy challenges, indicating West Ham’s efforts to restrict his time on the ball. Found it difficult to find space and was not as involved as usual in the game, resulting in a quieter performance.
Harvey Elliott – 6
While lacking the blazing speed typically associated with wingers, Elliott demonstrated good ball control and awareness of space. Showed great effort in running and likely appreciated the opportunity to start the match.
Cody Gakpo – 7
Put in a solid performance in the central position. Although he could have capitalized better on a few opportunities, he remained active in the game and contributed across various areas of the pitch.
Luis Díaz – 7
Displayed liveliness on the left flank and emerged as Liverpool’s primary attacking outlet. Hit the post with a shot that seemed improbable, showing willingness to take chances at opportune moments. More effective than Núñez, despite not finding the net.
Substitutes
Mohamed Salah – 5
Salah entered the game with the intention to make an impact but fell short. His disagreement with Klopp before coming on was a notable moment.
Darwin Nunez – 5
Nunez was brought on late to disrupt the game, but his only clear chance was blocked by Coufal.
Joe Gomez – 5
Gomez was subbed in to provide defensive stability in place of Alexander-Arnold.
Dominik Szoboszlai – N/A
Introduced in stoppage time but had no notable impact on the match.