Premier League leaders Liverpool pounded West Ham 5-0 in London on Sunday, extending their advantage atop the table heading into 2025.
Mohamed Salah hit his league-best 16th goal of the season and set up two others in sensational style, as Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Diogo Jota also scored for the Reds.
[ MORE: Salah on win, contract talks | Slot’s post-game thoughts ]
Liverpool now have an eight-point lead on the Premier League table and will go into the new year having played one fewer game than all but three other clubs.
West Ham stay 13th with 23 points.
Only Liverpool can stop Liverpool
Arne Slot’s Reds will lose a game here or there, of course, but it’s difficult to see this group falling apart. That’s bad news for the rest of the Premier League, because it will take unforced errors for the Reds to fall apart. It’s clear that the biggest obstacles in front of them — the contract statuses of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk — have very much been discussed enough in house that all three players can perform at their best for this club regardless of what’s next for each of them. Yes, Salah brought his contract status to the media but it sure hasn’t stopped him, while Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk have both been very good this season. The fact that they have won at least one of every trophy while at Liverpool also probably gives supporters more patience should their careers go in a different direction. Jurgen Klopp left and the new voice in the room has been different enough to be refreshing, and success makes everything feel right. It’s Liverpool’s world, and they can tie Manchester United for most division titles in English history by winning this season’s Premier League Trophy. And, oh, the Red Devils are next on the docket. Buckle up.
West Ham vs Liverpool player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
West Ham vs Liverpool player ratings (from fotmob.com)
West Ham vs Liverpool player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
West Ham go to Man City at 10am ET Saturday, then Liverpool host Manchester United at 11:30pm Sunday.
How to watch West Ham vs Liverpool live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 12:15pm ET Sunday (December 29)
Venue: London Stadium — London
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
West Ham vs Liverpool final score: 0-5
Luis Diaz 30', Cody Gakpo 40', Mohammed Salah 44', Trent Alexander-Arnold 54', Diogo Jota 84'
West Ham vs Liverpool live updates — By Nick Mendola
Full time — West Ham 0-5 Liverpool
Diogo Jota goal — West Ham 0-5 Liverpool (84th minute)
Salah steals the ball in his own half and then carries about 50 yards before finally sending Diogo Jota toward goal.
The Portuguese doesn’t miss.
Kudus head off the cross bar
Irving had just entered the game to send a beautiful cross to the spot, and Kudus turns the ball off the woodwork.
Subs
Robertson and Jones come off for Kostas Tsimikas and Harvey Elliott.
West Ham bring in Andy Irving for Carlos Soler.
4-0 Liverpool, 74'.
Jarrod Bowen injury
Bowen is scythed down from behind by Mac Allister.
Crysencio Summerville will take his place, and West Ham fans will hope the move is precautionary and connected to the score rather than something bigger.
Trent Alexander-Arnold goal — West Ham 0-4 Liverpool (54th minute)
It’s a “Real” good deflection — sorry Liverpool fans — as Alexander-Arnold lets fly with a shot from outside the arc and it takes a wicked turn of Max Kilman to beat Areola.
West Ham subs
Two moves at the break for Julen Lopetegui, who removes Edson Alvarez and Vladimir Coufal for Niclas Fullkrug and Jean-Clair Todibo.
Halftime — West Ham 0-3 Liverpool
Have to finish your chances against Liverpool, and Paqueta slipped early before Kudus smashed the post with the Irons down 1-0.
Instead, it’s 3-0, and both Salah and Mac Allister are having wonderful days/seasons.
Mohamed Salah goal — West Ham 0-3 Liverpool (44th minute)
Alexis Mac Allister is having a very good game, and he’s stolen the ball deep in the West Ham third.
He quickly gets the ball to Curtis Jones, who slides it over to Salah for a fine finish and a league-best 17th goal of the season.
Cody Gakpo goal — West Ham 0-2 Liverpool (40th minute)
What a move by Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian works a nutmeg on a sort of half-turn, and his pass touches off the heel of Max Kilman onto a plate for Gakpo.
Gakpo’s fifth of the season. Shame it won’t count for Salah’s PL-leading assist total.
EDIT — It does! An assist has been given to Salah despite the slight deflection of his pass.
Mohammed Kudus off the post!
Kudus has Alisson beaten with a hard low shot through Virgil van Dijk’s legs, but it smashes off the post.
Joe Gomez injury
Liverpool center back Joe Gomez limps off the field with trainers in the 37th minute.
Jarell Quansah takes his place next to Virgil van Dijk.
Reds lead 1-0.
Luis Diaz goal — West Ham 0-1 Liverpool (30th minute)
The Colombian gets his goal with a fine finish off a funny bounce.
Diaz tried to play Cody Gakpo into the box but the pass is blocked by Mavropanos and Vladimir Coufal back onto his path.
Diaz’s shot is excellent, and Liverpool has the lead on his eighth goal of the Premier League season.
Areola saves Diaz
Only one team attacking well here.
Curtis Jones slips Luis Diaz down the left wing, and the Colombian cuts past Konstantinos Mavropanos to curl a shot toward the West Ham goal.
Areola makes the save to keep it scoreless.
Just into the 24th minute in London.
Liverpool corner
Mohamed Salah hammers a shot that is parried by Areola.
The Irons deal with the corner.
Chances both ways in the first 10 minutes.
0-0, 8'.
Liverpool get huge let-off
Andy Robertson dawdles on the ball and off go West Ham 3v2.
Jarrod Bowen’s seeing-eye low cross is on a plate for Lucas Paqueta at the back post, but the Brazilian slips and airmails it nowhere near the goal.
West Ham lineup
Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Coufal, Kilman, Mavropanos, Emerson, Alvarez, Soler, Paqueta, Bowen, Kudus
Liverpool lineup
Alisson, Robertson, Van Dijk, Gomez, Alexander-Arnold, Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister, Gakpo, Salah, Diaz
West Ham vs Liverpool preview — By Joe Prince-Wright
Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui has overseen a mini revival at West Ham in recent weeks as they’re four games unbeaten and have picked up eight points in that stretch to put themselves within touching distance of European contention. Still, they struggled in their narrow 1-0 win at Southampton on Boxing Day and continue to give up a huge number of chances each game to opponents. West Ham fans still aren’t overly impressed with Lopetegui but he’s bought himself some more time.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool brushed aside Leicester City on Boxing Day as they won 3-1 after going behind in the first half at Anfield. Mohamed Salah continues to score and look in the form of his career, while the likes of Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz are also in fine form. Right now this is Liverpool’s title to lose and going into this matchweek they have a six point lead atop the table and have a game in-hand.
West Ham team news, focus
Alphonse Areola is set to start in goal with Lukasz Fabianski suffering a head injury against Southampton. Soler and Kilman also came off injured in that Boxing Day win, while midfielders Rodriguez and Soucek are both suspended. Expect Mexico star Edson Alvarez to start in midfield, while the likes of Todibo, Cresswell and Summerville could also start as West Ham may move to a back three to try and be more defensively solid.
OUT: Michail Antonio (DETAILS), Tomas Soucek (suspension), Guido Rodriguez (suspension) | QUESTIONABLE: Max Kilman (shoulder), Carlos Soler (knee), Lukasz Fabianski (head - MORE)
Liverpool team news, focus
The duo of Konate and Bradley remain out but are close to a return. It will be intriguing to see if Trent Alexander-Arnold starts after reports about him telling Liverpool he wants to move to Real Madrid ahead of his contract expiring in the summer. If he doesn’t, Quansah could come in at center back with Gomez slotting over to right back. Up top there will be some rotation and the likes of Diaz and Jota could start. There is a lovely balance about this Liverpool side right now and Slot has been getting his rotation spot on to keep as many players as fresh as possible.
OUT: Ibrahima Konate (knee), Conor Bradley (hamstring), Dominik Szoboszlai (suspension)
West Ham vs Liverpool prediction
This will be a pretty routine away win. There’s no way Liverpool won’t punish West Ham’s shaky defensive unit. West Ham 1-3 Liverpool.
