Darwin Nunez scored his first Liverpool goal at Anfield as the Merseysiders continued their upturn in form with a narrow 1-0 win over West Ham.
The lively Uruguayan forward headed in the opener on 22 minutes and then went close to a second with a thunderous strike that came back off the woodwork.
West Ham were second best throughout the first period but blew a gilt-edged chance to go in at the break level when Jarrod Bowen saw his penalty saved by Alisson.
The second period was a more even affair with both sides somehow blowing excellent opportunities, but the Reds held on to take all three points and move up to seventh spot in the table as it stood, with the Hammers 13th.
Next up, Liverpool visit Nottingham Forest on Saturday while West Ham host Bournemouth on Monday night.
TALKING POINT
Liverpool continue upward trend. Jurgen Klopp and his side have come in for a fair bit of stick already this season for what has been a sluggish start to the campaign by their standards. However, this victory was their third in a row for the first time this term and was an important follow-up to the triumph over Man City.
It was a nervy finale in the end, but the Reds are now unbeaten in 29 top-flight home matches and with their frontmen beginning to fire and the defence tightening up, you can expect they will continue to climb the table.
As for West Ham, Moyes will be disappointed they didn’t make the most of a much-improved second-half display after coming under the cosh for the first 40 minutes.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Darwin Nunez (Liverpool). The striker was a real thorn in West Ham’s side throughout his 57 minutes on the pitch. Netted his fifth goal for the club in one of his best outings so far and was unlucky not to add to his tally, particularly in the first half.
PLAYER RATINGS
LIVERPOOL: Alisson 8, Alexander-Arnold 7, Gomez 6, Van Dijk 7, Tsimikas 7, Henderson 7, Thiago 7, Carvalho 6, Salah 7, Firmino 7, Nunez 8. Subs: Jones 6, Elliott 6, Fabinho 6, Milner n/a, Robertson n/a.
WEST HAM: Fabianski 7, Johnson 6, Kehrer 6, Zouma 6, Cresswell 7, Rice 7, Downes 7, Soucek 7, Bowen 6, Scamacca 7, Fornals 6. Subs: Benrahma 6, Antonio 6.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
22’ – GOAL! – Liverpool 1-0 West Ham. Nunez guides a downward header into the corner from Tsimikas’ pinpoint cross.
40’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Nunez chests down a weak headed clearance and rasps a lovely strike against the post from the edge of the area.
45’ – WEST HAM PENALTY SAVED! Alisson springs to his right and pushes away Bowen’s spot kick. The penalty was eventually awarded after a VAR intervention for Gomez’s clumsy shove on Bowen.
64’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Firmino guides Henderson’s right-wing cut back just wide via a crucial deflection off Cresswell.
70’ – WEST HAM CHANCE! Said Benrahma is given far too much space to attack Rice’s hoisted cross from the right, but his volley is too tame and straight at Alisson.
75’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCES! Fabianski blocks Firmino at close range before Jones sees a follow up deflected off target after the Hammers had failed to deal with a right-wing corner.
78’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Zouma sticks out a leg to block Henderson’s brilliant low cross and is lucky not to score an own goal as it clips the bar and flies off target.
88’ – WEST HAM CHANCE! It should be 1-1. Soucek thinks he’s going to score from Bowen’s cut back but Milner makes a sensational challenge after the visitors got in down the left.
