Liverpool edge West Ham: Five things we learned as Sadio Mane seals nervy victory
Liverpool v West Ham United: Match in pictures
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Liverpool ramped up the pressure on Manchester City at the summit of the Premier League by clawing their way to a 1-0 win over West Ham. Sadio Mane was on the spot again and stabbed home the decisive goal in the 28th minute.
And despite a subdued second half showing, and a number of scares, Jurgen Klopp’s side managed to see the game out as they continue to chase another Premier League crown.
The result dealt West Ham’s Champions League hopes a blow and also ensured their miserable Merseyside record would continue; the Londoners have now won just once in their last 52 visits to Anfield.
Express Sport takes a look at five things we learned from the enthralling clash…
Sadio the main man
It’s been quite the month for Mane.
After leading Senegal to their historic Africa Cup of Nations triumph in Cameroon, Mane returned to Liverpool duty just in time to lift the Carabao Cup at Wembley last weekend.
And he’s back amongst the goals for the Reds after being nudged into a central role due to injuries to Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino.
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His 28th minute strike to break the deadlock was his fourth in his last three Premier League games.
And he looked right at home filling in as a central forward again on Saturday evening.
Mohamed Salah often steals the headlines, but Mane showed against the Hammers that he’s Liverpool’s main man right now.
On current form, he could hold onto that No.9 spot for a while.
Alexander-Arnold at it again
It’s been a real breakout season for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has quietly evolved into the Reds creator-in-chief over the past 18 months from his right-back berth.
And he pulled the strings again to prise West Ham open for Liverpool’s opening goal.
His scuffed shot, which was diverted home by Mane, may not be the purest assist he’s nabbed this season, but it was a pivotal one.
He’s now racked up a staggering 16 assists in all competitions this season – tying his best ever tally from the 2018/19 season.
Those returns for a full-back are simply outrageous – and it’s practically inevitable that he’ll go on to break his own record over the coming weeks.
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Hammers running out of steam
West Ham made a stunning start to the season under David Moyes and are still in with a shout of clinching an unlikely Champions League spot.
However, recent results have hinted that the Hammers are running out of steam.
Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Declan Rice have been integral to the Londoner’s success this season. Rice was sorely missed at Anfield, but Bowen did at least make history by making his 79th consecutive Premier League appearance; more than any other player in Hammers history.
But neither he nor Antonio could conjure up the magic touch on Merseyside.
West Ham failed to bolster their attacking ranks in the January transfer window – and it looks like that could end up costing them a fairytale finish.
Diaz the better bet
While speculation linking Liverpool to Bowen continues to linger around, it’s hard to fathom why the Reds would be seeking any additional firepower after Luis Diaz’s stunning start to life at Anfield.
Diaz is already off the mark for his new club after bagging in the 3-1 win over Norwich last month, and based on the scintillating show he put on against West Ham, it’s inevitable that more goals and assists will follow.
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The Colombian wizard was a constant menace throughout and his bedazzling footwork gave Ben Johnson a torrid afternoon.
It’s still early days, but if it was a choice between Diaz and Bowen for the Reds, then they definitely made the right one.
Konate’s time will come
While Diaz has flourished after being thrust straight into the team, it’s been a different story for the only other player Liverpool have signed this season.
Ibrahima Konate has been integrated to the Premier League slowly by Klopp – but it’s becoming more and more apparent just why the Reds chief views Konate as the long-term heir to Virgil van Dijk.
Konate is the only player to have been involved in every match day squad this season for Liverpool, and he underlined his ever-growing importance to the Reds with an imperious display on Saturday evening.
The 22-year-old stood up well to the physical test that Antonio provided and had the Hammers talisman in his back pocket.
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