A bad result for everyone

West Ham 2-2 Liverpool

Opposition perspective by Maurice Denton

West Ham and Liverpool settled for a 2-2 draw in a match that left both sides frustrated at The London Stadium. The result puts a damper on West Ham’s European aspirations and adds to Liverpool’s challenges in the title race.

The game was marked by tension, including a notable side-line confrontation between Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah, who was unexpectedly left out of the starting line-up. Salah’s introduction in the 79th minute, shortly after Michail Antonio’s equalizer for West Ham, led to an exchange with Klopp, necessitating intervention from Darwin Nunez to calm the situation.

This incident capped off a lacklustre performance by Liverpool, who missed an opportunity to move level with league leaders Arsenal. Liverpool initially fell behind to a Jarrod Bowen header but responded with goals from Andy Robertson and a bizarre own goal by West Ham, giving them a temporary lead.

However, Antonio’s goal ultimately ensured the points were shared, leaving Klopp’s final season less than ideal. For West Ham, the game was a reflection of their season’s struggles in the Premier League, where defensive issues have led to too many conceded goals. Despite a commendable draw against a strong Liverpool side, their earlier losses in the season are likely to be more damaging to their European qualification hopes.

The match also highlighted the differing states of the teams; while Moyes felt confident in his team’s commitment, the same couldn’t be said for Klopp, whose relationship with his players appeared strained. Both managers are seemingly at a transitional phase, possibly looking towards the exits, which added an extra layer of intrigue to the match.