LIVERPOOL - Liverpool delivered a commanding yet hard-fought 5-2 victory over West Ham United F.C. in their Premier League encounter at Anfield, exploiting the visitors’ vulnerability at set pieces to claim three crucial points.
The win lifts Liverpool F.C. to fifth place in the table on 48 points, level with fourth-placed Manchester United F.C., who are in action on Sunday. West Ham remain 18th with 25 points, two adrift of safety and having played a game more.
Liverpool made a blistering start, with Hugo Ekitike opening the scoring inside five minutes. The hosts continued to dominate from corners, as Virgil van Dijk powered in a header before Alexis Mac Allister volleyed home just before halftime — all three first-half goals stemming from West Ham’s inability to clear their lines at set pieces.
Despite the scoreline, Liverpool showed moments of vulnerability. A misplaced pass from goalkeeper Alisson nearly gifted Jarrod Bowen a goal, while Tomas Soucek’s early second-half strike briefly unsettled the home side. Cody Gakpo squandered a golden chance soon after but redeemed himself in the 70th minute with a composed finish to restore Liverpool’s three-goal cushion at 4-1.
West Ham responded through Valentin Castellanos, who headed home from a corner to reduce the deficit to 4-2 and momentarily revive hopes of a comeback. However, any resistance was effectively ended when substitute Jeremie Frimpong’s driven cross was turned into his own net by Axel Disasi, sealing a comprehensive victory for the Reds. Reflecting on the performance, Gakpo highlighted the team’s steady progress and renewed confidence, emphasizing the importance of set-piece efficiency in tight matches. With momentum building at a decisive stage of the season, Liverpool now look to maintain their push for a top-four finish.
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