Liverpool 2-1 West Ham: Player ratings as Van Dijk heads home late winner
- Liverpool into early lead thanks to Luis Diaz tap-in at far post
- West Ham deservedly levelled in second half through Andy Robertson own goal
- Virgil van Dijk heads home winner in 89th minute
Virgil van Dijk's 89th-minute header earned Liverpool a 2-1 win over a spirited West Ham United at Anfield, in a result that stretches their lead at the top of the table to 13 points.
The Reds were comfortably the better side in the first 45 minutes and deservedly led at the break thanks to Luis Diaz's tenth Premier League goal of the season, laid on to him by an exquisite square ball from new two-year contract celebrant Mohamed Salah.
West Ham weren't able to keep their foot on the ball in that opening passage, but things changed after the interval as Graham Potter instructed his side to stop playing long diagonal passes into their front duo of Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen.
Kudus, who did hit the crossbar in the first half during a rare foray forward, became more of a threat on the ground and Bowen, with his incisive running in behind, was denied an equaliser by Alisson when sent through one on one by Lucas Paqueta.
Alisson then denied Kudus with a smart save as Liverpool failed to generate any kind of momentum, and there was no real surprise when West Ham's equaliser did arrive four minutes from time. It was an unexpected name on the scoresheet, though – Robertson turning Aaron Wan-Bissaka's cross into his own net after failing to sort his feet out.
Anfield had been rocking at the start of the game as supporters basked in the glory of Salah's new contract and Liverpool's supporters were not to be denied. It was perhaps fitting that Van Dijk, who is expected to follow the Egyptian's lead by signing a new contract, was the match winner, rising highest from a corner to power home past Alphonse Areola.
Niclas Fullkrug still had time to hit the woodwork for West Ham before the final whistle, but the home side clung on to move within two wins of a second Premier League title.
Liverpool player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Alisson | 8.0/10 |
RB: Conor Bradley | 7.8/10 |
CB: Ibrahima Konate | 7.2/10 |
CB: Virgil van Dijk (c) | 8.0/10 |
LB: Kostas Tsimikas | 7.0/10 |
CM: Ryan Gravenberch | 7.5/10 |
CM: Alexis Mac Allister | 8.4/10 |
CM: Curtis Jones | 7.1/10 |
RW: Mohamed Salah | 7.6/10 |
ST: Diogo Jota | 6.6/10 |
LW: Luis Diaz | 8.4/10 |
SUB: Andy Robertson (60' for Tsimikas) | 5.1/10 |
SUB: Cody Gakpo (60' for Jota) | 5.9/10 |
SUB: Jarell Quansah (68' for Bradley) | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Dominik Szoboszlai (68' for Jones) | 6.2/10 |
SUB: Wataru Endo (84' for Salah) | N/A |
Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher (GK), Vitezslav Jaros (GK), Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa.
West Ham player ratings (3-4-1-2)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Alphonse Areola | 6.2/10 |
CB: Konstantinos Mavrapanos | 6.1/10 |
CB: Jean-Clair Todibo | 6.2/10 |
CB: Max Kilman | 6.9/10 |
RWB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka | 7.5/10 |
CM: James Ward-Prowse | 6.9/10 |
CM: Carlos Soler | 6.5/10 |
LWB: Oliver Scarles | 6.5/10 |
AM: Lucas Paqueta | 6.9/10 |
CF: Mohammed Kudus | 6.6/10 |
CF: Jarrod Bowen | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Vladimir Coufal (57' for Scarles) | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Luis Guilherme (78' for Soler) | 6.6/10 |
SUB: Niclas Fullkrug (76' for Todibo) | 6.2/10 |
Subs not used: Lukasz Fabianski (GK), Emerson, Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, Tomas Soucek, Evan Ferguson.
Player of the match - Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
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