Liverpool boosted their hopes of European football next season after coming from behind to beat West Ham United 2-1 at the London Stadium.
The Hammers took a 12th-minute lead when Lucas Paqueta fired past Alisson Becker. However, Jurgen Klopp’s side hit back six minutes later through Cody Gakpo.
Joel Matip then scored what proved to be the winner in the 67th minute with a powerful header from Andy Robertson's corner. However, there was drama in the closing stages when West Ham wanted a penalty after Thiago Alcantara handled in the area, but on-field referee Chris Kavanagh waved away the appeals, and Neil Swarbrick, on VAR duty, agreed with the decision.
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Hammers boss David Moyes was furious that a decision was not awarded by either, and below is a look at how the national media and Liverpool ECHO reported on the game.
'Moyes was right'
Kieran Gill of the Daily Mail wrote: “According to Stylist magazine, white shirts are in vogue this season and anyone who is anyone is wearing one. Try telling that to Liverpool, who have been more tempted to toss theirs in the River Mersey.
“Yet at the sixth attempt, Jurgen Klopp’s men are finally winners in white. They banished the curse of their away strip here at the London Stadium, with West Ham unable to join the list of frustraters that included Manchester United, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.”
Before he added: “Moyes was right – the PGMOL were indeed claiming last night that Thiago was breaking his fall. For Liverpool, they are back in fashion, and back in the Premier League’s top six.
“Klopp might have been tempted to go full Sir Alex Ferguson and have his team play in anything other than those wicked white shirts for the second half. So cursed have they been, even Liverpool's Under 21s lost all three of their Papa Johns Trophy ties when sporting the strip.”
'Liverpool were controlled'
Gary Jacob of The Times wrote: “In an angry, acrimonious end to the game at the London Stadium, a handful of West Ham supporters invaded the pitch and Moyes paced on to it to have stern words with Chris Kavanagh, the referee, over what he felt should have been a penalty in the final minute when Thiago Alcântara jumped into a tackle on Danny Ings and handled the ball as he fell. Moyes got more incensed after he was shown a replay of the incident by Kevin Nolan, his first-team coach.
“Kavanagh waved away the appeal and the VAR, Neil Swarbrick, felt that Thiago’s arm broke his fall and the ball bounced up to hit it from close range — a decision that leaves West Ham with work still to do to secure their Premier League safety; they are five points above the relegation zone.”
Before he added: “Liverpool were controlled and can move into fifth place if they avoid defeat in their game in hand over Aston Villa after winning a third straight league match for only the second time this season. Jürgen Klopp talked about wanting a European spot and planning for next season, playing Trent Alexander-Arnold in his new hybrid midfield role.”
'Indecipherable laws around handball rescued Liverpool'
Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian wrote: “Liverpool are not done yet. Jürgen Klopp has invented Trent Alexander-Arnold 2.0, unleashing the right-back’s full weaponry by putting him in midfield, freeing him from his defensive responsibilities, and he also has more ways of winning games with Luis Díaz fit again.
“If it is not quite a return to the mentality monster days, it certainly is encouraging for Klopp. This was Liverpool’s third consecutive win, maintaining their faint hopes of squeezing into the top four, and it was not earned without a fight.
“West Ham were tough, inventive opponents, albeit slow to react to Klopp’s changes shortly before Joël Matip headed in the decisive goal, and they had cause to rage after not being awarded a penalty when Thiago Alcântara handled during the dying stages.
“The increasingly indecipherable laws around handball rescued Liverpool. They could argue that Thiago had no chance of getting out of the way when he lunged into a tackle on Danny Ings and more or less punched the ball to the turf, but West Ham fumed at the VAR’s refusal to intervene. David Moyes’s side, who remain five points above the bottom three, saw nothing but injustice.”
'Europa League is the minimum target'
Paul Gorst of the Liverpool ECHO wrote: “Liverpool haven't exactly timed it to perfection, but there could yet be something waiting for them at the end of their late-season surge.
“This slender 2-1 win here against West Ham makes it three successive victories for Jurgen Klopp in a five-game unbeaten stretch that represents his team's second best sequence of the campaign, behind the four wins in five across mid-February and early March. It's starting to vaguely resemble consistency, which could yet land them something few had thought possible just a handful of weeks ago.
“Now up to sixth and a half-dozen points off the top four, the Reds will still be keeping a keen eye on developments there, most notably when fourth-place Manchester United visit Tottenham on Thursday evening. Everton's welcoming of Newcastle - who are also six ahead - that same night will be one to place tabs on too.
“It might be too little, too late for Klopp and his players but they seem hell-bent on at least testing the resolve of those above them. Now up to sixth, the Europa League is the minimum target from here on in. European football, however it comes.”
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