Liverpool whip West Ham 4-1
LONDON (AP): LIVERPOOL WON at West Ham 4-1, and it was no coincidence that Sadio Mane was back in action in the English Premier League on Saturday.
The result marked the first time Liverpool recorded back-to-back league victories since August.
Mane, who missed Liverpool’s last five games with a hamstring injury, set up both of Mohamed Salah’s goals. Joel Matip and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also found the net.
The victory lifted Liverpool to level on points with Chelsea and Arsenal, who face tough challenges against Manchester United, and City, respectively, today.
West Ham started brightly and wasted a chance to take the lead early when Andre Ayew struck the post after Manuel Lanzini’s pass deflected into his path.
Liverpool’s opener came when West Ham was least expecting it. The home side were looking to score as they took a corner, but the ball was in the net at the other end just 13 seconds later.
Salah flicked a clearance into Mane’s path, releasing the Senegal winger into space before he returned the ball to Salah on the edge of the penalty area to finish calmly past goalkeeper Joe Hart.
Less than three minutes later, the lead was doubled. Matip tapped into an empty net after Hart initially prevented an own goal with a fine save.
West Ham got back into the game 10 minutes after the break. Ayew, this time, crossed to Lanzini at the back post, and Lanzini controlled the ball expertly on his chest before poking a smart finish past Simon Mignolet.
However, hope for West Ham lasted just 55 seconds.
OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN SCORES
Liverpool’s two-goal lead was restored as Oxlade-Chamberlain squeezed a shot past Hart after the keeper kept out his initial effort.
Salah completed the rout 15 minutes from the end, receiving the ball from Mane before driving a powerful effort across goal into the bottom corner.
After an embarrassing 3-0 loss to Brighton in their last home league game, West Ham’s display did little to relieve the increasing pressure on manager Slaven Bilic.
The Hammers dropped to 17th, with just a point separating them from the relegation zone.
Other results: Stoke City 2 Leicester 2; Huddersfield 1 West Brom 0; Newcastle 0 Bournemouth 1; Southampton 0 Burnley 1; Swansea 0 Brighton 1; West Ham 1 Liverpool 4.