A few eyebrows were raised when David Moyes chose Anfield and a revitalised Liverpool as the ideal setting and host for Flynn Downes’s first Premier League start for West Ham.
By half-time, though, it all made sense: not much could be better for a young midfielder’s development than the chance to watch, up close, Thiago Alcantara in this kind of form.
Darwin Nunez and goalkeeper Alisson were Liverpool’s heroes on the night, the former scoring what turned out to be the only goal after 22 minutes and the latter making a fine penalty save from Jarrod Bowen, but it was Thiago, stationed midway between the pair, that ran the game and, at least until he was replaced just before the hour-mark, had the home side playing with some of their old swagger.
The Spaniard’s career record will tell you he is the kind of player who elevates those around him and, invariably, when he plays well so too do Liverpool.
Taking advantage of West Ham’s flat 4-4-2, Thiago enjoyed time, space and freedom to dictate from deep, as if existing in an impenetrable force-field between the visiting forward and midfield lines, walking where others ran, strutting as they would sprint, head permanently erect and seemingly able to control the flight or curve of the ball long after it had left his boot.
He dropped a peach over the shoulder of Nunez and onto his left-foot before Lukas Fabianski tipped over, then guided a daisy-cutter through a gap no one else on Merseyside had seen to feed Kostas Tsimikas, eventually leading to another chance for Mo Salah. In between, Tsimikas’s fine cross was headed down and in by Nunez for his first Anfield goal.
Downes, usually a central, holding player, had watched all this unfold from an unfamiliar role on the right, Moyes stressing afterwards the need for an extra, combative body in midfield. Even so, he got about as close to Liverpool’s genius as anyone — which was: not especially.
The 23-year-old concedes he has found the step up “tough” after arriving from Championship side Swansea this summer, but after impressing in the Europa Conference League was handed a League chance here. “It was good to get out there and it’s unbelievable the gaffer has put his trust in me here,” Downes said.
“I just wanted to play the game, it was a mad occasion, but I was trying not to look into that too much, I just wanted to get there and play some football. Apart from not getting the three points, I loved every minute of it.”
There will be easier nights for Flynn Downes, who is certainly deserving of more opportunities at West Ham
Bowen’s penalty miss came on the stroke of half-time but it was only after Thiago’s departure — prompted by Jurgen Klopp’s fear over yet more damaging injuries — that the Reds ceded control.
“Thiago stretched once on the pitch, which for me is a warning sign,” the German said. “We have to react to everything, so it was clear we had to change him.”
Substitute Said Benrahma wasted a fine chance when going tentatively at Declan Rice’s high cross before Tomas Soucek was somehow denied by James Milner and Alisson as the home side hung on.
There will be easier nights for Downes, who is certainly deserving of more opportunities, and while the chance to come up against players of Thiago’s ilk do not come around weekly, he is fortunate to train alongside Rice — who is not far off it — every day.
The Hammers skipper was named man of the match here and Moyes afterwards had no doubt the Englishman could easily have slotted into the Liverpool side.
“He was the best player on the pitch by a mile tonight,” Moyes said. “He’s a top player, could play for any club he’s that good. He was back to his best.
“Last season, he was playing that way in every game just about, he was so good. Tonight, he was the standout for me.”
