Liverpool 1-0 West Ham: Premier League – as it happened | Football

A quick word with Andrew Robertson, who played his 200th match for Liverpool tonight. “West Ham played a really good game. We were good at times, sloppy at times. It was never going to be easy, but we’ve been good at keeping clean sheets recently.”

Jurgen Klopp looks more relieved than ecstatic. David Moyes by contrast is furious. No wonder: his side played extremely well, seriously disrupting Liverpool’s defence on several occasions, but couldn’t tuck any of their chances away. Fornals, Lanzini and Antonio all had one-on-one opportunities to beat Alisson, but the hosts kept them out every time. A sense that Liverpool have gotten away with a below-par performance tonight … but sometimes you need to grind a few out if you’re to win a title. As for West Ham, when the frustration ebbs away, they’ll take pride from a fine performance. Keep playing like that and they’ll be in the Champions League mix during the business end of the season.

The whistle goes, and it’s a hard-earned three points for Liverpool, who move to within three points of Manchester City. West Ham had their chances, though. They had their chances.

90 min +6: Diaz, who wasn’t quite at his electric best today, but still entertaining enough, is replaced by Jones, who immediately dribbles the ball towards the corner flag.

90 min +5: Cresswell takes the free kick, but it’s easily cleared by Liverpool, who break through Diaz and Mane. Jota eventually sends a dismal shot high into the Kop.

90 min +4: Henderson bundles into the back of Lanzini, and it’s a free kick just to the left of the centre circle. Before it can be taken, Mane is booked for deliberately hoicking the ball away.

90 min +3: The ball did hit Zouma’s hand, but the defender was standing right next to him, and his arm was by his side. Fornals is replaced by 19-year-old Dan Chesters, making his Premier League debut.

90 min +2: Robertson barges his way down the left and reaches the edge of the box before laying off to Mane, whose shot is blocked by Zouma. Mane claims a penalty for handball, but neither referee nor VAR dude shows any interest in awarding one.

90 min: Milner comes on for Keita. There will be a minimum of five added minutes. Plenty of time for West Ham, who are on the front foot here!

88 min: Cresswell takes. Robertson heads clear. Cresswell swings in again. Alisson punches clear. Liverpool break through Jota down the right. He can’t find Diaz in the middle, Lanzini sliding in to intercept. Diaz was clear in the box. A huge chance to secure the three points goes to waste.

87 min: Robertson, in an attempt to dribble into the West Ham box on the left, slips, allowing the visitors to counter. They do so at speed and Fornals wins a corner on the right. On the touchline, Klopp looks extremely concerned. He has reason to be. Cresswell to take.

86 min: Benrahma, with options ahead, releases some of the pressure with a dismal lump forward, straight into Alisson’s arms.

85 min: Noble and Benrahma combine down the left, nearly opening Liverpool up. Jota hacks clear in desperation. This is all West Ham now, with Liverpool hanging on a bit. No, more than a bit. They’re hanging on.

84 min: The Liverpool fans are worried now. Konate concedes a free kick out on the West Ham right. Everyone lines up on the edge of the Liverpool box. Noble floats it in. Alisson makes up for his earlier mistake by claiming with authority.

83 min: Alisson’s appalling clearance, straight to Lanzini, drops Liverpool in it. The ball’s worked left to Benrahma, with the hosts light at the back. Liverpool are extremely fortunate to see Benrahma clank a dreadful cross through the box and away from danger.

81 min: Now it’s West Ham’s turn to do nothing with their corner. That was a huge opportunity for Antonio, though. West Ham have had some big chances this evening. A draw wouldn’t flatter them.

80 min: The corner comes to nought, and West Ham break at speed! Noble rakes a long diagonal pass to release Antonio down the right. Antonio gets as far as the box before dropping a shoulder to see off Robertson. He shapes to shoot, only for Keita to arrive from nowhere and poke out for a corner! Anfield hearts in mouths there.

79 min: Diaz dribbles down the inside-right channel and pulls across for Salah, on the edge of the six-yard box. Salah can’t control, allowing Dawson to come across and hack out for a corner. Before it can be taken, Salah is replaced by Jota. He’s not happy, but he’s not played to his usual standard today, and can’t complain too much.

77 min: Fabinho and Henderson over-elaborate down the left, to loud groaning. Anfield is collectively a bag of nerves now. One mistake could be so costly in the title race.

75 min: Diaz sends a no-backlift screamer sailing just wide of the top-right corner. Not sure Fabianski was getting to that.

74 min: Salah picks up possession 30 yards out and takes an ambitious whack goalwards. It’s easily blocked. Salah was off his game last week in the League Cup final, things not quite coming off for him, and he’s below par again today.

72 min: Mane has a couple of shots blocked from the edge of the West Ham box. The visitors have made plenty of brave interventions this evening.

71 min: Noble chips Alisson from 40 yards, the ball sailing into the top-right corner! Sadly for the West Ham captain, the whistle had long gone for a foul.

70 min: West Ham should be level. Soucek whips in from the right. Lanzini brings the ball down with a gossamer touch that sends Alexander-Arnold off to the shops for the Echo. He’s one on one with Alisson and should score, but leans back and lumps an awful effort high over the bar. What an opportunity!

69 min: Plenty of pantomime booing for Zouma, by the way. I’m guessing 70-30 Everton/cat.

68 min: Noble wedges a pass down the middle in the hope of releasing Antonio, who tries his best to control with a telescopic leg, but can only poke out for a goal kick.

67 min: Salah tries again, this time hoping to steer one into the bottom left. He doesn’t get enough curl on the shot, and it’s another safe gather for Fabianski.

66 min: Salah, Henderson and Mane ping passes across the face of the West Ham box. Salah then aims for the bottom right. Easy enough for Fabianski.

64 min: Mane slips Diaz into space down the left. Diaz drops a shoulder to breeze infield and, from the edge of the box, curls a shot that only just flies the wrong side of the right-hand post.

63 min: Henderson welcomes his fellow captain Noble by bowling him over. Then Alexander-Arnold and Benrahma tussle down the left, the Liverpool defender getting the benefit of the decision. This is turning into quite the scrap.

60 min: Van Dijk is forced to break into an uncharacteristically worried sprint to ensure Fornals doesn’t get free down the right. West Ham are certainly asking questions.

58 min: Keita has a bang from 25 yards. The ball flies about 25 yards wide right. A few howls of frustration from the home fans, who may be getting a little nervous with this game (and perhaps their title hopes? Too melodramatic?) on a knife-edge.

56 min: Mane squeezes between a couple of blue shirts out on the left and bursts into space. He rolls into the box for Diaz, who can’t control, 12 yards out. West Ham clear.

55 min: Liverpool haven’t really got going in this second half. West Ham look like they fancy their chances of getting back into this.

53 min: Benrahma comes on for the stricken Bowen, and his first act sees him release Fornals down the left. Once Van Dijk deals with the resulting cross, up pops the offside flag. Mane was attempting to counter when the whistle goes, and he’s none too happy about play stopping.

52 min: Bowen can’t continue, the poor chap looks in a lot of pain. He’s helped off by two physios, limping very slowly, pain etched across his face. That doesn’t look good at all.

51 min: Bowen is down getting some treatment on a sore knee, having landed awkwardly upon being challenged by Robertson back there.

50 min: Henderson, to the right of the West Ham D, pulls back for Alexander-Arnold, who sends a first-time effort sailing serenely towards the top left. Forensic aim, but nowhere near enough oomph. Easy for Fabianski.

48 min: Down the other end, Bowen scampers free down the inside-left channel. He cocks his leg back to shoot, but Robertson slides in from nowhere to execute a perfectly timed saving tackle. The ball twangs off Bowen and out for a goal kick. West Ham are making chances, that’s for sure.

47 min: Alexander-Arnold crosses deep from the right. Diaz battles with Zouma on the other flank. His hard work ensures possession is retained, to warm applause. It’s safe to say Diaz is in. The denizens of the Kop very happy with their new purchase.

West Ham get the second half underway. No changes at the break. Sky flashed up an interesting stat at half-time: the Hammers had ten shots at goal during that first 45 minutes, and no team has had as many in Klopp’s reign. Safe to say this is far from over.

Half-time schadenfreude. Something for everyone.