Liverpool showed fight with a rotated side but went on to drop more points in the Premier League run-in, drawing 2-2 with West Ham after leading.
West Ham 2-2 Liverpool
Premier League (35), London Stadium
April 27, 2024
Goals
Bowen 43′
Robertson 48′ (assist – Diaz)
Areola OG 65′ (assist – Gakpo)
Antonio 77′
There was a strange, muted atmosphere early on in east London – more like a rugby crowd – which perhaps summed up the feeling among both sets of supporters.
It reflected in the performances, as though Liverpool appeared in control, there was little in the way of incision, bar the dribbling of Ryan Gravenberch.
A tight offside call saved Angelo Ogbonna from giving a penalty away as the half-hour neared, first for bringing down Cody Gakpo, then for a seemingly intentional handball from Luis Diaz‘s follow-up shot.
Diaz was, unsurprisingly, the spark in Liverpool’s attack, with the Colombian shifting into space and firing the closest effort of the half against the foot of the post.
Even in a dull half, the Reds were still able to concede first, with Jarrod Bowen able to evade Virgil van Dijk for a free header from a corner.
HT: West Ham 1-0 Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp will have demanded a reaction at the break, and Liverpool were back level within three minutes of the restart – from the most unlikely of goalscorers as Andy Robertson‘s improvised effort squeezed in.
It was a sea change after that, with the Reds all over West Ham and producing a number of chances both in the box and from range.
The second goal was a moment of comedy, with Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s corner landing to Gakpo, who teed up his shot, missed the target, but saw the ball go in via Ogbonna, Alphonse Areola and Tomas Soucek.
Areola kept out Diaz twice and Alexis Mac Allister once with a close-range header as Liverpool pushed for a third, but it was West Ham who drew level via Michail Antonio’s header.
On came Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah, with the Egyptian almost laying on a tap-in for the No. 9 only to be thwarted by a stunning block from Vladimir Coufal.
Liverpool continued to push for a winner, but Harvey Elliott‘s shot striking the bar was the closest they got as two more points were dropped.
TIA Man of the Match: Andy Robertson
Referee: Anthony Taylor
West Ham: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Ogbonna, Emerson; Soucek (Ward-Prowse 74′), Alvarez; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio
Subs not used: Fabianski, Casey, Johnson, Cresswell, Phillips, Ings, Mubama
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Gomez 79′), Quansah (Szoboszlai 90+1′), Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo (Salah 79′), Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Elliott, Diaz (Nunez 79′)
Subs not used: Kelleher, Konate, Tsimikas, Bajcetic, Jones
Next match: Tottenham (H) – Premier League – Sunday, May 5, 4.30pm (BST)
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