West Ham United v Liverpool
Barclays Premier League
Boleyn Ground
Saturday 19 September 2009
5.30pm
Referee: Andre Marriner
Full time - Mr Marriner blows his whistle and brings proceedings to a close. It was an thoroughly enjoyable game that West Ham United more than played their part in. The hosts will feel hard done by not taking anything from the game but will be lifted by the first hour when they caused Liverpool plenty of problems.
90 min - The last throw of the dice here for the Hammers as Green pumps a long free-kick into the Liverpool half. Sadly, the referee rules that Cole has fouled Carragher and awards the free-kick to Liverpool. Cole's protests to him are too strong and he is booked.
90 min - The final change sees Torres leave the field and Albert Riera replacing him.
90 min - We will have three more minutes at least here. Liverpool look like they will be trying to kill the time with one more change here.
88 min - The Hammers are pushing hard here but Liverpool are standing strong. We just need one mistake or a bit of magic to create that crucial chance.
85 min - Liverpool make a final change with Benayoun making way for Fabio Aurelio.
84 min - Gerrard fouls Parker just inside the Liverpool half to give the Hammers a free-kick. Noble takes it but it is too long for everyone.
81 min - Torres goes for the hat-trick with a long-range drive that Green gets down well to. West Ham are running out of time here.
79 min - The home support are still singing and doing everything they can do roar their side on. The players are giving it their all, but at the moment they cannot create the chance that will give them their third.
77 min - Well the Hammers have come from behind twice and they must do it again if they are to take anything from this game. Just as I write Kovac forces Reina into a full-stretch save with a header.
75 min - GOAL! Torres gets his second to put the home side back in front. Babel hung a cross in the air from a right and Torres out jumped two players to steer a header past Green.
74 min - The home support have been brilliant and are getting right behind their team here.
70 min - Brilliant tackle from Faubert on Gerrard. The France international slid in perfectly on the Liverpool captain over on the far side and got a well-deserved round of applause from the home support.
68 min - Liverpool are getting a bit desperate here as Babel's first real contribution is wild shot that flies well over. Can West Ham create just one more chance as it seems that most things are going their way today.
65 min - Well after all of the hustle and bustle of the first 50 minutes the game has settled a little bit. West Ham United make their final change with the impressive Diamanti making way for Kieron Dyer.
60 min - Diamanti takes it and Reina has to reach high to get a fingertip to the ball to stop Hines prodding it in. Liverpool make a change with Kuyt leaving the field and Ryan Babel coming on.
59 min - Corner to West Ham after good work on the right by Faubert.
55 min - Two bits of brilliant defending by Gabbidon in the space of a minute. First, he out-sprints Torres to clear the ball into touch and then shows a superb bit of skill to control the ball in midair as Torres lurked behind him.
51 min - We have 34,658 inside the Boleyn Ground. Not bad considering all of the problems most people will have had getting here today.
50 min - Hines is fouled again and once more Mr Marriner's cards are out of his pocket. This time Mascherano is the culprit.
47 min - Well if the second half is anywhere near as good as the first we are in for quite a treat today. Let's just hope it is the home side who have the better of the attacking chances in this half.
46 min - The second half kicks-off with West Ham attacking the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand end.
Half time
45 min - Four added minutes at the end of the first half will be played.
45 min - GOAL! And from the resulting corner they restore parity. Noble took the flag kick and Cole rose highest to head past Reina. What a great first half we have had here.
44 min - The Hammers try to hit back straight away and Hines causes more problems for the Liverpool back line. The forward is brought down by Skrtel, who is booked and Diamanti's free-kick is deflected wide.
42 min - GOAL! Liverpool re-take the lead as Benayoun takes a corner, Gerrard knocks it down and Kuyt prods it in.
38 min - A massive shout from the home support for a foul as Martin Skrtel brings down Hines as he races in on goal. Andre Marriner waves away the protests, though. I'd like to see that one again.
36 min - Booking for Faubert as he brings down Steven Gerrard in full flight. The foul gives Liverpool a free-kick 25 yards from goal.
33 min - Well the goal really has changed the game. West Ham are on top and Ilunga does brilliantly to beat two on the left before attempting to roll the ball to Hines, who did really well to win the penalty. This time though a white shirt is there though to hack it away.
30 min - Well what a difference a goal makes as the home support break into song. There was a slight second of worry there as Diamanti lost his footing as he took the kick but thankfully it found the back of the net.
29 min - GOAL! Diamanti steps up and puts it down the middle.
29 min - Penalty to West Ham. Hines does superbly to take it past Carragher, who shoves him to the ground. The defender is booked and the Hammers get a spot kick.
28 min - West Ham are forced into another change as Behrami leaves the field and Kovac comes on.
27 min - The home side need to get a grip on this game and fast as Liverpool threaten once more. This time Torres fires a shot over the bar from distance.
26 min - Corner to Liverpool after Faubert does well to block a cross from Insua.
25 min - The change happens as Upson leaves the field and Gabbidon comes on to make his first home league appearance for over 18 months.
23 min - A bit more concern here as Matthew Upson is down and it looks like he will not be playing on. Danny Gabbidon is being prepared.
21 min - The goal sets the away fans off into song and the home support into silence.
20 min - GOAL! Liverpool take the lead through a great bit of play from Torres. The Spanish international took it past Tomkins and smashed the ball Green from seven yards out.
19 min - Key tackle from Upson there - his second of the afternoon - to nick the ball off Lucas' foot.
18 min - Liverpool send a quick reminder, if one was needed, that they are not here to make up the numbers as a clever turn and shot from Torres flashes just wide of Green's goal.
16 min - More pressure from the hosts as Diamanti gets his first shot in on goal. I'm pretty confident that he will hit better shots in claret and blue, though, as it flies well wide.
15 min - The Hammers go close again as a flowing move forward involving Cole, Diamanti and Faubert sees the latter cross into the box. It causes all kinds of confusion and a deflected effort forces Reina into a full-stretch save.
14 min - The empty seats reported earlier all seem to have been filled now and we must be close to a full house now. I will of course confirm the exact number when we have it.
10 min - Big shout for a penalty from the away support there as a shot from Torres hits Ilunga on the hand. Referee Andre Marriner waves it away. To be fair to Ilunga there was very little he could do about it.
9 min - Great defending from August's SBOBET Player of the Month. Julien Faubert uses his strength to shepherd the ball out with Benayoun breathing down his neck.
8 min - There has been a really bright start to the game and both teams seem determined to attack the game.
7 min - But just as I write that Liverpool come close to taking the lead. Torres played in Benayoun and only a superb diving save by Robert Green keeps his effort out.
6 min - West Ham have started really well here and are putting Liverpool under lots of pressure.
5 min - Both managers are out on the touchline and the West Ham United manager has opted for a suit today. Perhaps it is because this game marks one year in the job for him.
2 min - What a chance! In the second minute Hines does well to pick the pocket of Carragher on the edge of the area to leave him one-on-one with Pepe Reina. He tries to place his shot past the Spaniard but it crashes against the inside of the post. What a start that could have been!
2 min - There are still a few empty seats in the Boleyn Ground, much owing to the Underground closures in place today. I'm glad to report that those that have made are making plenty of noise.
1 min - Liverpool get us underway.
5.29pm - The teams have changed ends so Liverpool will be attacking the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand in the first half.
5.28pm - The teams are out and the PA is reading through the line-ups. All three former Hammers - Glen Johnson, Mascherano and Yossi Benayoun - were all roundly cheered by the home support. The returning Behrami and Ilunga and Diamanti were all given a great reception too.
5.25pm - Well we're five minutes from kick-off here now and the teams are just getting ready to come out. So far, the predictions of heavy rain have not come true but some rather dark clouds are starting to gather so watch this space.
West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola handed Alessandro Diamanti his full debut as one of three changes to the team that went down 1-0 at Wigan Athletic a week ago.
Diamanti replaced Junior Stanislas, who was sidelined with a minor back injury, while Herita Ilunga recovered from a jaw problem to replace Danny Gabbidon at left-back. The third change saw Valon Behrami make his first start since 1 March in place of Radoslav Kovac.
Liverpool's only change from the 1-0 midweek UEFA Champions League win over Hungarian champions Debrecen saw former Hammer Javier Mascherano replace Albert Riera. Ex-West Ham players Glen Johnson and Yossi Benayoun were also named in Rafael Benitez's starting lineup.
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson (Gabbidon 25), Ilunga, Behrami (Kovac 28), Parker, Noble, Hines, Diamanti (Dyer 65), Cole
Subs: Kurucz, Spector, Payne, Nouble
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua, Mascherano, Gerrard, Benayoun (Aurelio 85), Lucas, Kuyt (Babel 60), Torres (Riera 90)
Subs: Cavalieri, Kyrgiakos, Degen, Dossena