West Ham power into the top three as Zouma ends Liverpool’s unbeaten run
There will be no “Invincibles” this season, but perhaps an unexpected new name in the Premier League title race. Watched by the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who is close to buying a 27 per cent stake in the club, West Ham United did not just end Liverpool’s 25-game unbeaten run but leap-frogged the 2020 champions into the top three with the sort of thrilling victory that felt significant far beyond just the 3-2 scoreline.
Kurt Zouma, who scored what proved to be the match-winning goal, declared after the match that West Ham were like one big “family” and, during five years now in Stratford, rarely has a win been more ecstatically celebrated.
It was a game which also represented something of a marker in the development of David Moyes’s team. They were only two points and two places off Champions League qualification last season but that was largely a result of their relentless consistency against those clubs around and below them.
This was a victory against one of the best teams in the world and, while Liverpool might have been aggrieved by certain key refereeing decisions, it was noticeable that Jurgen Klopp offered little complaint about the wider outcome.
West Ham had been resolute in defence, magnificent with their relentless midfield pressing and, headed by Michail Antonio, often deadly with their counter-attacks. They were also excellent in their setpiece organisation, from which they not only scored twice, but also held firm against the onslaught of a Liverpool team who have scored 31 goals in only 11 league games this season.
“We are still growing the seeds a little bit – but I think we are there [top three] on merit,” Moyes said. “I wanted to challenge whoever the teams will be in the top four. I hope one will be us. I’m hugely proud of the players. These players were close to relegation, now we’re pushing for Europe.”
By Europe, Moyes meant the Champions League and it was further to his and the players’ credit that this performance followed Thursday’s 2-2 draw against Genk.
The match started at a frenetic pace and West Ham quickly broke forward to force a corner. The ball was swung in dangerously by Pablo Fornals towards Angelo Ogbonna who, with his eyes only on the possibility of a header, backed into Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson as he jumped. Alisson’s challenge was hardly authoritative but, with Ogbonna using his arms to gain height, he had some case to say that he had been impeded as the ball flicked off his hand into the goal.
Premier League referees, though, have been instructed this season to ignore the most innocuous contact and, with that diktat clearly in mind, referee Craig Pawson signalled for a goal. A Var check did follow for a possible handball but, with replays confirming the final contact had belonged to Alisson, the goal stood.
West Ham then soon got the benefit of another contentious Var call when Aaron Cresswell lunged into a challenge with Jordan Henderson with his studs showing. He connected first with the ball before following through into the Liverpool’s captain’s knee, but Pawson decided that there had been no infringement.
Liverpool did then take command of possession and began to create chances. Diogo Jota had headed Andrew Robertson’s cross just narrowly over when, with Declan Rice judged to have tripped Mohamed Salah, they won a free-kick around 25 yards from goal.
The ball was quite centrally positioned but Trent Alexander-arnold simply rolled it to Salah who, with perhaps the easiest assist of his career, simply cushioned it for his team-mate to curl a delightful finish up over the edge of West Ham’s wall.
Liverpool deserved their equaliser but the home side, who were beginning to get trapped inside their own half, reacted impressively. With Sadio Mane losing the ball in the 67th minute, they surged forward and Jarrod Bowen drew a swarm of players before releasing Fornals to finish.
Antonio was frequently also forcing Liverpool back and, having gained a corner, West Ham’s quality from set-pieces was again evident. The ball was swung towards the far post by Bowen and, having evaded the entire Liverpool defence, Zouma arrived to head past Alisson. Moyes repeatedly punched the air in delight but, with 16 minutes still to play, knew that nothing was settled.
Klopp replaced the ineffectual Jota with Divock Origi and, having turned sharply inside West Ham’s penalty area, he sent a shot across goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski into the corner of the goal. It set up a tense finale. The best chance fell to Mane but, with Alexander-arnold’s freekick lacking pace, he was unable to generate sufficient power or direction with his header from the edge of the six-yard box.