LONDON STADIUM, EAST LONDON // Liverpool narrowly overcame West Ham United to win its first match since November 4, set on its way by Alexander Isak's first goal in the Premier League for his new club.
After a goalless first half, in which Isak came closest and Florian Wirtz perhaps should have scored too, Liverpool moved in front through the Swedish striker when he was teed up by Cody Gakpo.
In a strange couple of minutes, Lucas Paqueta was shown two yellow cards by the referee, Darren England, for dissent. And while that did enrage the crowd for a short time, Liverpool was able to hold on for its first victory in almost a month, with Gakpo sealing the points in stoppage time.
Winners
Wirtz showed some real class here, enjoying the extra space that Liverpool players tend to have when they play at this stadium. We know that he oozes quality, but this was another step in the right direction for the German.
When the game is about technique and not physique, he should come out on top every time. When everyone else catches up with him and is on the same wavelength, he will shine even more.
Isak still looks a long way off his best in terms of fitness, needing to get more minutes in the tank to catch up with his teammates, but getting off the mark in the Premier League was a big boost too.
Losers
No one was particularly bad here, by any stretch, which is a positive. There is still more work for Ibrahima Konate to do to look fully convincing and Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister gave the ball away too easily at times, but the structure looked sound.
More solid, and not spectacular. Arne Slot would definitely have taken that before kick-off.
Player ratings
Alisson Becker (6). Took an early knock from Gomez when the ball was in the air but wasn't hugely involved beyond that. There wasn't that much that he had to deal with.
Joe Gomez (7). Handed a rare start, the 28-year-old looked really composed. Some will argue that he should have featured more often as a result, but it has always been fitness over ability that has held him back.
Ibrahima Konate (6). A couple of times, he did really well to get across and make a decisive challenge. In possession, though, very limited. West Ham let him have the ball and he didn't do much with it.
Virgil van Dijk (7). Much calmer and like his usual self at the back than he was midweek. The defending he had to do, he ensured that he did with little fuss.
Milos Kerkez (7). Selected ahead of Andy Robertson at left-back, the former Bournemouth ace was pretty solid. Unable to offer a great deal going forward, however, but as long as he defends like this, that's fine.
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Ryan Gravenberch (6). A couple of times, he got away with dribbling into danger without much of a plan. He was fine, but he wasn't anywhere near his slick peak.
Alexis Mac Allister (6). Poor midweek, the Argentine was better here, though that was always likely to be the case. Sometimes he lost the ball a bit easily, but he did enough to help win the midfield battle.
Dominik Szoboszlai (6). Starting off the right, a position he did play for RB Leipzig at times, the Hungary captain drifted inside a lot from the wing, but he wasn't always that involved. He and Wirtz both favor the same role and ultimately, only one can play it.
Florian Wirtz* (7). *Back in the team after injury, the German playmaker looked sharp. He found pockets of space and his touch was as silky as ever, playing some lovely balls into his teammates after ghosting into dangerous areas. Better in the first half than the second.
Cody Gakpo (7). Sometimes his first touch and awareness let him down but he provided the assist for the opener with some good movement and an intelligent ball. Scored the second to seal the points late.
Alexander Isak (7). His first touch, after just a few seconds, was a poor one, and it took him a long while before he got going. Alphonse Areola made a top save to deny an overhead kick from close range and he finished well just before the hour mark. Decisive.
Substitutes
Hugo Ekitike (6). A straight swap with Isak, the French forward looked pretty lively. One shot was curled well wide but he linked up nicely.
Curtis Jones (6). Brought on to give Wirtz a breather on his first match back, he showed a couple of nice touches but also gave the ball away cheaply once.