Liverpool 1 - 0 West Ham

Reds: Nunez 22’

Pre-Match

Klopp runs out a very attacking formation, with Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah, Fabio Carvalho, and Roberto Firmino making up an impressive front four. Harvey Elliott will be an option off the bench, as well Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who are both coming back from lengthy injury spells.

I know it might be asking a lot, but a second match in a row of not conceding first would be appreciated.

First Half

Alisson causes a bit of a scare early, as the normally impeccable goalkeeper makes an uncharacteristic error, booting it directly to a West Ham attacker in the attacking third. Thankfully Virgil van Dijk clears the danger and the Reds are back on the attack.

West Ham are having a torrid time playing out of the back early on, but the Reds haven’t quite been able to make the visitors pay for cheap giveaways in their defensive third.

GOAL! Tsimikas hits what looks like a speculative cross, but Darwin Nunez makes an absolute meal of it. The Uruguayan striker heads it down and into the corner, leaving Fabianski no chance!

Nunez is having a lot of fun out there today. He’s being an absolute pest out, terrorizing the defenders and goalkeeper. He just rattled a wicked left-footed volley off the post. That would’ve been a hell of a finish.

Pen given by VAR Joe Gomez makes a clumsy and unnecessary challenge and West Ham’s first shot of the half will be in the 44th minute...from the spot. Sigh.

SAVED! Ali guesses right and pushes it clear of the goal. Justice is served!

It would’ve been a crime for the Reds to go into the half on level terms after that half. Liverpool hardly blew the Hammers away, but they created enough for the lead and—defensive error aside—were absolutely suffocating defensively.

Second Half

It’s a frenetic start to the second half, with neither side really establishing control.

Klopp makes a triple sub as the hour mark approaches, bringing on Elliott, Jones, and Fabinho for Carvalho, Nunez, and Thiago.

Liverpool nearly double their lead from a corner, but the ball is cleared off the line not once, but twice. Still, the Reds appear to be in control, other than the pen, it hasn’t felt too uncomfortable since going 1-0. A moment later West Ham nearly pull off a spectacular own goal, but it sadly rattles off the top of the cross bar.

With ten minutes remaining, Klopp makes his last two subs, bringing off Firmino and Tsimikas for James Milner and Andy Robertson.

West Ham nearly equalize with a mad goal line scramble of their own, but Milner and Alisson manage to just turn a point blank shot wide. The visitors, smelling blood in the water for the first time in the match, start to turn up the heat, and the last few minutes of regulation are as nervy as we’ve seen so far this match.

Final Thoughts

Liverpool hold on for the win. Two 1-0 wins? In a row? In this economy? Believe it. Liverpool still aren’t back to their free flowing best, but they’re back to getting results, which is all we can ask for after the difficult start to the season.