Liverpool ended a miserable run of six defeats in seven league games with a hard-fought win at West Ham, in a match that offered relief rather than entertainment. Alexander Isak finally scored his first league goal for the club since his high-profile move from Newcastle, before Cody Gakpo added a late second.
The first half was lifeless, with neither side offering much threat. An important subplot emerged before kick-off, as Mohamed Salah was dropped following Liverpool’s defensive collapse in recent games. Arne Slot reverted to a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Dominik Szoboszlai deployed on the right to offer more defensive protection for Joe Gomez, who was starting his first league game of the season despite recent injury concerns.
Florian Wirtz, signed to be Liverpool’s main creator, looked tidy but still struggled to produce decisive moments. His best chance came shortly before half-time, when Alphonse Areola made a strong save to deny him.
Isak, making his fifth start of the season, was kept out early by Areola but finally broke his league duck on the hour mark. After a half-cleared corner, Wirtz calmly set up Alexis Mac Allister, whose cutback found Isak to finish crisply. Though far from justifying his £135m fee, it was a moment of real quality.
West Ham then faded badly, not helped by Lucas Paquetá’s dismissal for two quick bookings for dissent. Despite recent improvements, they again looked limited.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will simply be grateful for a win. Their new signings still need time, but the result provides a foundation after a difficult period—even if the match itself was forgettable.
