Liverpool 3-1 West Ham United
Premier League, Anfield, Sunday 24 September 2023
Jarrod Bowen scored his fourth goal of the Premier League season but West Ham United were on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline at Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
Bowen’s strike, a fine diving header, had his side level at the break by cancelling out Mohamed Salah’s early penalty, but Liverpool came again to net twice more in the second half.
Darwin Núñez’s volley gave the Reds the advantage for a second time on the hour, before Diogo Jota’s close range finish put the seal on the Reds’ victory late on.
The defeat – West Ham’s first on the road this season – leaves David Moyes’ men seventh in the Premier League table with ten points from their opening six games.
West Ham started positively and two crosses into the Liverpool box inside the opening eight minutes yielded opportunities to strike first.
First, Michail Antonio battled well for possession in the left channel and laid back to Lucas Paquetá, whose cross was met by Tomáš Souček’s head. The ball looked destined for the bottom left corner, only for Alisson to produce a magnificent save.
Then, from the opposite flank, Souček turned provider when he picked out Antonio, but the No9’s header drifted wide.
Liverpool were slow out of the traps, but were given the chance to move ahead from the spot with 16 minutes on the clock.
The move started down the left hand side with Luis Díaz, whose pass into the area deflected into the path of Salah, who was tripped by Nayef Aguerd as he stepped back inside. The Egypt international did the rest, placing his penalty down the middle as Alphonse Areola dived to his right.
With the goal under their belts, Liverpool settled and went close to doubling their advantage when Alexis Mac Allister nodded an Areola clearance to Dīaz, who, with the Hammers stretched, knocked on to Salah on the outside. He took the shot on first time but, hindered by an unhelpful bobble, the ball flew wide of the mark.
The visitors roused themselves before the interval though and Bowen’s fine run of goalscoring form would continue with another with three minutes remaining of the first half.
His strike started with a delightful lofted pass forward by Lucas Paquetá, who spotted Bowen’s dart into space. The No20 nodded back to Antonio, who worked the ball wide to Vladimír Coufal. He took a touch and delivered for Bowen, who got across Virgil van Dijk to bravely head home via the far post. The goal saw him set a new Club record of scoring in four straight away games to kick-off a Premier League campaign.
Curtis Jones had the ball in the net shortly afterwards, but had run offside, while Areola denied Núñez and the teams went in level at the break.
The first chance of the second half fell Liverpool’s way when Salah smuggled a pass through to Núñez who might have done better than firing wide of the right hand post.
At the other end Bowen headed a James Ward-Prowse free-kick straight at Alisson, but it would be the home side who would land the next blow as the game reached the hour mark.
Mac Allister was the goal’s creator, clipping an inch-perfect pass over for Núñez to watch the ball drop over his shoulder and volley past a helpless Areola.
The Hammers introduced Mohammed Kudus and Pablo Fornals from the bench as they sought a route back into the contest and the latter drew a save from Alisson with a shot from outside the box.
But, five minutes from time, Liverpool wrapped up victory when Jota knocked home from close range after Virgil van Dijk nodded an Andy Robertson corner back across goal.
Liverpool: Alisson, Gomez, van Dijk ©, Matip, Robertson, Mac Allister (Endō 88), Jones (Gravenberch 77), Szoboszlai, Díaz (Gakpo 81), Salah, Núñez (Diogo Jota 81)
Subs not used: Kelleher (GK), Tsimikas, Quansah, Konaté, Elliott
Goals: Salah 16 (pen), Núñez 60, Diogo Jota 85
West Ham United: Areola, Coufal, Zouma ©, Aguerd, Emerson, Álvarez, Souček (Fornals 74), Ward-Prowse, Paquetá (Ings 87), Bowen, Antonio (Kudus 74)
Subs not used: Fabiański (GK), Kehrer, Mavropanos, Ogbonna, Cornet, Benrahma
Goal: Bowen 42
Booked: Álvarez, Zouma
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
