West Ham 1, Liverpool 4: First Thoughts

West Ham 1 Lanzini 54’ Liverpool 4 Salah 21’, 75’, Matip 23’, Oxlade-Chamberlain 56’

• PRE-MATCH: The big surprise news is that Sadio Mane starts for Liverpool. Everyone hold your breath.
• YIKES! Liverpool start strong, but it’s West Ham who get the first big opportunity when a deflected pass lands well for Ayew, who goals for goal and luckily hits the post. Not many Liverpool players covered in glory with that one.
• The orange kit is growing on me.
• GOAL!!! - 21’ - Salah - OH BABY, BABY, that’s what a fast break is supposed to look like. Mane counters on a missed West Ham corner and he and Salah put on the super speed to leave the defense in the dust and face Joe Hart. Mane slides it to Salah who coolly slots it home.
• GOAL!!! - 23’ - Matip - A corner comes for Liverpool. Hart blocks the first attempt, but Matip gets the rebound at five yards out and sneaks it past Hart.
• The Reds are flying right now, while at the same time not doing anything particularly special. That fast break just tore West Ham apart.
• HALFTIME: That was fun! Liverpool look like they’re cruising with Mane and Salah on the wings.
• We’re back, and hello, Andy Carroll. I have an opinion on your manbun, but I won’t get into it here.
• Goal - 54’ - Lanzini - That was some poor defending from Liverpool, but fair dues to West Ham, a great pass and a great chip from Lanzini to get the Hammers within one. So much for the dream of three clean sheets in a row.
• GOAL!!! - 56’ - Oxlade-Chamberlain - AOC scores his first league goal for Liverpool almost immediately after conceding. Another fast break, this time it’s Oxlade-Chamberlain who gets the last touch. His first shot is saved by Joe Hart, but then he gets his own rebound and puts it past a gobsmacked Hart.
• This game went nuts in the first fifteen minutes back. A goal a piece, Liverpool maintain their two goal buffer, but the game feels very open and West Ham look like they’ve woken up.
• Gonna assume that Mignolet is playing some fourth-dimensional chess today that only someone wearing the captain’s armband can understand.
• It’s pretty hard to believe that we’re going on 70 minutes, up by two goals, and Sadio Mané is still in this game.
• GOAL!!! 75’ - Salah - Mané to Salah again. Mané does a good job of holding onto the ball, keeping keeping possession and getting the pass off to Salah, who is in a bit of space. Salah takes a touch and then sends it sweetly into the far corner. That was one sexy finish. Oh my. I want the hat trick now. I need it.
• That second assist is Mané’s last touch of the game, as he gets taken off for James Milner.
• FINAL: Mo Salah is a beast. Damn, it’s good to have Mané back. Cannot wait until they’re back from the international break so we’ll have Coutinho, Hendo, and Lallana as well. Three wins in a row!

We'll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today's game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven't already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we'll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.