Archive for February 24, 2020
1963, 2015 and …?
West Ham United wins at Liverpool have been a very rare species in recent decades. Just twice since 1963 the Hammers have won away at Anfield: most recently in September 2015. If this feat could be repeated tonight, on the day the great Bobby Moore died (24 February 1993), this would be Liverpool‘s first defeat of the season, just as in 2015.
In September 2015 the Hammers’ unforgettable 3-0 victory was inspired by a then 22 year old Manuel Lanzini impressing on his debut, scoring the first goal himself and setting up the second for Mark Noble. Tonight Lanzini will start on the bench, but Mark Noble will again captain the Irons at Anfield.
With their win in 2015 West Ham inflicted a first loss of the season on Liverpool, and their three goals were the first ones of the season conceded by Liverpool. Slaven Bilic’s Hammers produced a masterclass of counter-attacking football which saw them lead 2-0 at halftime.
The third goal was scored by Diafra Sakho in injury time. Mark Noble and Liverpool player Philippe Coutinho were red carded. Liverpool was managed by Brendan Rodgers who is now manager at Leicester City.
The Hammers could rely on a committed and disciplined back four (Tomkins, Reid, Ogbonna and Cresswell) and an energetic defensive midfield trio of Pedro Obiang, Cheikhou Kouyate and Noble, allowing Dimitri Payet and Lanzini in particular the freedom to do damage in the Liverpool half, while Sakho led the line superbly. Darren Randolph in goal completed the West Ham XI which won their first league match at Anfield since 1963 and inflicted a first loss of the season on Liverpool on that day.
Lanzini’s debut showcased a willingness to pick up the ball deep and drive forward at pace and also an eagerness to work for the team by closing down opponents to force mistakes – something he did to optimum effect for the second goal.
Fifty-two years before, West Ham’s finest moment at the famous old stadium took place on 14 September 1963, when Ron Greenwood’s side scored a 2-1 win over Bill Shankly’s Reds.
A star-studded match featured no fewer than six players – three on each side – who would go on to win the FIFA World Cup for England in 1966: Liverpool’s Roger Hunt, Ian Callaghan and Gerry Byrne, and West Ham’s Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters.
If the Hammers win tonight it would also be the first defeat for Liverpool this season. Three players that have won in 2015 are part of West Ham‘s starting eleven: Mark Noble, Cresswell and Ogbonna. Darren Randolph and Manuel Lanzini are on the bench in front of an away end of just 1,800 Hammers fans who could make the way up to Liverpool. West Ham have asked for a reduced allocation for this Monday evening game from the 3,000 they would usually demand. The away support displayed banners against the Board, branding Sullivan and Gold “clowns” mismanaging the circus and telling Karren Brady “You’re Fired”. The Hammers sit 18th in the Premier League table and are having a very disappointing season. They could climb out of the relegation zone if the manage to take at least one point from this game.
Come on you Irons!
Update: West Ham played one of their best games of this bad season, “making a mockery of their league position”, as The Telegraph wrote. The Hammers even took the lead against Liverpool in the second half! But in the end the best team of this season again managed to overcome their opponents and Liverpool won 3-2 (1-1).
Liverpool were asked a lot of questions tonight, had to go through a lot of gears. It was a brilliant game which also should West Ham give hope to do better in their next matches. Yet again when Liverpool need to win by the odd goal they found a way and now have won their last 21 home Premier League games, equalling the English top-flight record for consecutive home wins, set by the Reds between January and December 1972 under Bill Shankly. Liverpool are now 22 points clear at the top of the league and need only four more wins to be crowned champions 2019-20. West Ham remain in the relegation zone. They also need four wins at least, as David Moyes said, to stay up. This game showed that there is enough quality in the side to get the Irons away from their predicament, allowing Moyes to leave Anfield enthused as much as disappointed.
Liverpool 3 West Ham 2. Goals: Wijnaldum, Salah (due to a terrible mistake from Fabianski in goal), Mane; Diop, Fornals
EXTRA TIME 
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