13 April 2025
Liverpool 2 West Ham 1
After Arsenal dropped more points the day before, Liverpool had another big chance to take a huge step towards securing a Premier League title. West Ham were the visitors to Anfield, with The Reds wanting to give their fans the three points they were craving. After Mohamed Salah signed a new deal in the week, things were looking very bright for Arne Slot’s side.
There was a moment of remembrance for the lives lost in the Hillsborough disaster before kick-off, making this an even more poignant day at Anfield. The Slot era had got off to a great start, as did The Reds in this match. Diaz cut inside from out wide and shifted it onto his right foot to get a shot away. Areola was alert and got down to make a decent save.
A long ball forward from defence picked out Salah in a wide position. The Egyptian winger plucked it out of the air with some sublime control. He beat his man and cut inside before getting a shot away. The only surprise was that the net did not bulge as his effort went narrowly wide. Liverpool were looking hungry for goals and getting a much-needed win from the outset.
As the hosts played it out of defence, Konate spotted the movement of Salah. His long pass forward looked for the winger, who used the pace on it to turn away from his marker. The Egyptian King got down the flank and showed the vision to play a sublime pass into the box on the outside of his left foot. The inch-perfect ball evaded everyone but its intended target.
Diaz ghosted in at the back post to slot home with Areola in no man’s land. Anfield erupted as the ball nestled into the bottom of the net. This goal was the epitome of what this Liverpool side is all about. They had broken the deadlock and were not going to let this West Ham side rest for one minute. The hunger was there to secure the three points to extend their lead at the top.
The visitors ventured forward and Soler got in behind the defence. Alisson was quick off his line to get a block in but Kudus was lurking to pick up the loose ball. He tried to lift it over the keeper into the empty net but the Brazilian made a brilliant fingertip save to sent it onto the crossbar and back out. How Liverpool have missed having him in between the sticks of late.
Salah was giving the youngster Scarles a torrid time down the right flank. He teased The Hammers back line before playing another well weighted pass into space for Mac Allister to run onto. He got a first-time shot away but Areola reacted well to make the block. The Reds were looking capable of scoring every time they came forward.
Just before the interval, the visitors forced a corner. Ward-Prowse put in a teasing cross and Mavropanos had a free run onto it. Sadly for West Ham, he could not keep his header down as it sailed over the crossbar. Potter’s side had chances to get back into this game and would take some confidence from that. This match was far from over.
After the interval Tsimikas was fouled out wide and won a free-kick. Mac Allister stood over it and only had one thing on his mind. The Argentine went for goal and caught Areola out, who was relieved to see the effort come crashing back off the crossbar. The Reds were looking for another goal to give themselves some breathing space in this game as slender leads can be taken away all too easily.
Mac Allister seemed to have an eye for goal as he looked to catch Areola off his line. The keeper managed to recover to put it over the crossbar for a corner. As the resulting cross came in, the ball struck the hand of Ward-Prowse. VAR reviewed it cleared it immediately, which is wild considering his arms were up high and not in a natural position whatsoever.
Paqueta then threaded a pass through the Liverpool defence for the perfectly-timed run from Bowen. He looked to clip it past Alisson but once again the Brazilian made a good block having raced off his line. The Hammers seemed to be growing in confidence and were starting to ask some serious questions of Arne Slot’s side.
Then came the moment all Liverpool fans had been worried about. With only a minute of normal time remaining, a cross into the box saw some confusion between van Dijk and Robertson. The Reds’ skipper kicked against his teammate and it nestled into the bottom corner of the goal. In North London, beers were flying in the air as they thought The Hammers had grabbed a point at Anfield.
Slot’s side desperately threw bodies forward trying to find a winner. Diaz made some space to get a shot away but it deflected off Wan-Bissaka and clipped the top of the crossbar and its way through. West Ham half-cleared the cross but as it was chipped back into the box, Quansah’s goalbound header was blocked to frustrate the hosts.
Liverpool forced another corner deep into added time. As it was drifted into the box, van Dijk rose to meet it and his powerful header beat Areola as Anfield erupted into a cauldron of noise. This is what champions do, dig deep and find a way to win. All they had to do now was see the game out to take the all-important three points.
The Hammers tried once last time to get something from the game. As a cross came into the box, Fullkrug met it but his header came back off the crossbar, so close to grabbing the visitors a point. Slot’s side held on for the win to extend their lead at the top to thirteen points. They are now just two victories away from being crowned Premier League champions.
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