Liverpool 5-2 West Ham: Five Goals, Familiar Fault Lines
Clinical finishing and sharper set pieces propelled Liverpool past West Ham in the Premier League, but defensive tracking issues and midfield lapses show Arne Slot’s side still have details to correct
Clinical Finishing Cannot Hide Structural Concerns
Liverpool beat West Ham 5-2 at Anfield and yet, walking away from the ground, it did not feel like a performance to frame and preserve. It felt instructive.
Five goals in a Premier League fixture should settle any nerves. Instead, this match exposed both encouraging tactical developments under Arne Slot and recurring vulnerabilities that cannot be ignored as the season sharpens.
This was not routine dominance. It was a game of control gained, lost and regained.
Aggressive Press Sets the Tone
At first glance, the numbers suggest balance rather than control. Liverpool had 49% possession to West Ham’s 51%. The expected goals were 1.84 for Liverpool and 1.86 for West Ham. Total shots favoured Liverpool 18 to 11, but the underlying chance quality was almost identical.
Scoring five from 1.84 xG tells you everything about the finishing. Conceding two from 1.86 xG tells you everything about the defensive exposure.
The opening phase was tactically fascinating. Liverpool set up in an aggressive 4-2-4 press from West Ham goal kicks. The front four squeezed high, midfielders stepped onto passing lanes and the objective was clear, force errors, win the ball quickly and play forward early.
It worked.
