Arne Slot’s reaction gave little away as Cody Gakpo powered the ball past Alphonse Areola to all but secure Liverpool’s first league win on the road in two and a half months.
Initially, there was barely a flicker from the Dutchman as he witnessed his side snatch a crucial 2-0 victory against West Ham United. No sign of the relief he was undoubtedly feeling as Liverpool ended its harrowing losing streak. At the very least, this has tempered some of the pressure that has threatened to overwhelm the team and Slot of late.
One win can change a lot, especially when the marquee summer signings click. Are Liverpool’s plans finally coming together?
Supporters will hope so, although those feeling particularly giddy shouldn’t overlook the goodwill that blossomed after the wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid earlier this month, only to wither away just as quickly.
At least this time, Slot can look to upcoming fixtures against promoted sides with genuine belief that he can build some momentum, even if Sunderland has defied all expectations and Leeds United was narrowly beaten by top-four opposition in its last two.
In the meantime, the narrative surrounding Slot will shift. Invariably, it will now settle on Mohamed Salah after Liverpool’s star forward watched Sunday’s win from the sidelines.
Slot played down the significance of his decision to relegate the Egyptian winger to the bench, implying it was based on rotation rather than Salah’s dire form. But given he has never previously missed a league match under Slot, and was last named as an unused substitute in the Premier League in June 2020, the magnitude of this demotion should not be overlooked.
Arne Slot waves to Liverpool fans
Sunday's win over West Ham eased some of the pressure on Arne Slot (Image: Getty Images)
Nor can there be any denying Liverpool looked better at the London Stadium in his absence — a remarkable verdict considering this time a year ago many felt he was the best player on the planet.
Without Salah, Liverpool was more structured, less brittle, and looked like a cohesive unit. In short, all 11 players contributed defensively.
It meant there was no chaotic back-and-forth feel to the game, as has so often been the case this season for Liverpool. The champions were more compact and organized, as indicated by West Ham’s expected goals (xG) of 0.29, the lowest an opponent has produced since September’s win over Burnley.
That provided Liverpool with the platform to win. In truth, this wasn’t a vintage display. But it was cool, controlled and clinical, and felt reminiscent of the Reds’ performances last season.
Ironically, Liverpool was sharper for long spells against Nottingham Forest last week, despite losing 3-0. The Reds recorded a higher xG in that defeat than during Sunday’s win, for instance.
As Slot referenced post-match, the margins are small. On this occasion, the Reds weren’t punished by set-pieces and managed to grab the pivotal opening goal of the match.
Alexander Isak
Isak scored his first Liverpool goal in the 2-0 win over West Ham (Image: Getty Images)
But perhaps the biggest positive from the win in West London was the display of Florian Wirtz. There were flashes of the man deemed worthy of a £100+ million ($132M) transfer fee in the summer, as he floated balletically around the pitch, finding pockets of space from which he routinely exposed West Ham.
It’s surely only a matter of time until his menacing passes are rewarded with the assist that still somehow evades Wirtz in the Premier League. Across all competitions, his performances have steadily improved since his arrival at Liverpool, and there are undeniable signs of progress, despite the glaring statistics.
Another worth mentioning is Joe Gomez. Drafted in at right-back for his first start of the campaign, the Reds’ longest serving player barely put a foot out of place.
He was emblematic of Liverpool. Not spectacular, but lacking major errors. It was notable how much more settled the back four looked in recent weeks with Gomez’s inclusion, and how vastly improved Ibrahima Konate and Milos Kerkez were after their dreadful displays against PSV Eindhoven.
Joe Gomez
Gomez came into the team and played a crucial role in Liverpool's win over West Ham (Image: 2025 Eurasia Sport Images)
Intriguingly, Slot has shown a reluctance to play Gomez this season — that was his first league start of the campaign — and a reminder of how flawed Slot’s decision-making has been.
Recognizing and redeeming that error handed Liverpool three precious points on Sunday, along with the long overdue choice to drop Salah. As a result, Liverpool now sits three points behind the Champions League places despite the appalling run of recent results.
Liverpool’s win in at West Ham doesn’t fix everything, but it does show a path forward. If Slot can build on a more disciplined structure, continue to make tough decisions, and extract consistency from his summer signings, the season remains salvageable. One victory won’t define the campaign — but it may give Liverpool something to build on.