For the first time in weeks, the watching media were able to be positive about Liverpool and Arne Slot, following a vital 2-0 win at West Ham.
The Premier League champions prevailed at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon, stopping a dreadful run of nine defeats in 12 matches.
Here’s how the media assessed Liverpool’s much-needed triumph.
What the media said about West Ham 0-2 Liverpool
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 30, 2025: Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates with team-mate Ibrahima Konaté (L) after scoring the first goal, his first FA Premier League goal for the club, during the FA Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Liverpool FC at the London Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Gregg Evans of The Athletic praised both the performance and two key individuals:
“There’s a long way back for the defending champions as they look to save their season, but this was certainly a step in the right direction.
“Not only were Liverpool clinical in front of goal, as they converted two of only a small number of chances created, they were also resilient and showed a togetherness that had disappeared in previous weeks.
“As well as the victory, there were positive performances for both Isak and Wirtz while the defence finally had something to build on.”
The *Telegraph*‘s Sam Dean thought this was a glimpse of “Liverpool 2.0” in terms of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak shining and Mohamed Salah being left out:
“Was this the first proper glimpse of Liverpool 2.0? The first sign that Arne Slot’s costly evolution is, at last, beginning to take shape?
“It certainly felt that way as Slot dropped Mohamed Salah to his bench and instead successfully built his team’s attack around the £240m duo of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.
[…]
“Are Liverpool back? Let’s not go that far. They were hardly at their thrilling best here. But after a run of nine defeats in 12 matches, this victory in the capital feels like discovering water after days in the desert.”
“Absolutely everything Arne Slot needed”
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 30, 2025: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot acknowledging the travelling supporters after the FA Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Liverpool FC at the London Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
On X, David Lynch highlighted the importance of the win for Liverpool:
“That was absolutely everything Arne Slot needed. A really professional, controlled performance, and a fully deserved win to stop the rot.
“They have to build on this now.”
It wasn’t a classic, but the *Guardian*‘s Jonathan Wilson claimed that only a win mattered on the day:
“For long spells nothing happened. At one point it was so quiet you could hear a distant plane droning by. But Liverpool will not care.
“Sometimes you have to get back on the horse however you can, and if that requires a stepladder, an awkward bunk from a scornful stablehand and an ungainly scramble into the saddle, so be it.”
Speaking on Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher felt a lack of individual errors proved key for Liverpool:
“If you keep it really simple about Liverpool today – don’t concede from a set piece, no big mistake at the back from maybe Konate or Kerkez, and one of your summer signings is outstanding.
“If they keep that up in the next few weeks, they could find themselves right in the middle of the Champions League positions.
“A million miles off the title race, but just to calm everything down Liverpool need to be in those positions.”
“Backing Slot was the right thing to do”
Jonathan Northcroft of the Times said this proved why Liverpool were right to stand by Slot:
“Backing Slot was the right thing to do before this game, and the right thing now.
“We live in a world of short attention spans, zero patience and people (especially here) trying to have big opinions.
“But he’s a title winner with best win % of any LFC boss. Bad run. Give it time.”
Finally, James Whaling of the Mirror thought Slot allowed some of his detractor to be silenced:
“Arne Slot won’t get too high after a 2-0 win over West Ham, but knows it will quieten some of his doubters who had even begun to suggest he could be close to the sack.
“His name was loudly sung by the travelling supporters at the end of the game.
“The Reds face newly promoted Sunderland and Leeds in their next two games. Six points from those and things will all of a sudden look much rosier in the Anfield garden.”