Ruthless Liverpool thrash West Ham to go eight points clear

Liverpool stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points as they thrashed an abject West Ham United at the London Stadium.

It was another capital goal-fest for Arne Slot's irresistible side after the 6-3 win at Tottenham seven days previously, the outcome never in doubt as a first-half masterclass left a desperately passive Hammers well beaten.

Liverpool had already missed several chances before Luis Diaz gave them the lead with a powerful finish on the half-hour mark. Cody Gakpo was then the beneficiary of Mohamed Salah's brilliant footwork to add a second after 40 minutes, before the Egyptian inevitably got in on the act himself with a low drive on the stroke of half-time for his 20th goal of a superb season.

Julen Lopetegui's side could not even manage damage limitation as Trent Alexander-Arnold added the fourth after 54 minutes when his long-range effort took a deflection off Max Kilman's head past Alphonse Areola.

Only Mohammed Kudus offered anything resembling hope for the hosts, hitting the woodwork in each half while Luis Guilherme did the same just before the end, but this was no consolation as they were utterly outclassed by this rampant Liverpool outfit.

The gap in quality was emphasised six minutes from time when Salah bamboozled several West Ham defenders with a brilliant run from inside his own half before setting up substitute Diogo Jota for a typically clinical finish.

Liverpool's imperious form is such that they now exert psychological domination on opponents with their superiority – and here West Ham played like a beaten team even before kick-off.

Slot's side were in control immediately as the hosts were on the retreat from the first whistle, the only surprise being that they survived 30 minutes before Diaz took full advantage of his own attempted pass ricocheting back into his path off Vladimir Coufal before firing past Areola.

This was enough for Liverpool to move through the gears, their only scare coming when Kudus struck the inside of the post with the score at 1-0.

Salah, as usual, was the spearhead and nutmegged two defenders to create a stunning second goal, but this Liverpool team has threats from all directions, with Diaz and the prolific Gakpo also making key contributions.

West Ham did not even get a respite after the break when Jota emerged as a substitute and claimed a fine fifth goal for the leaders.

While there are usually twists and turns after New Year in a title race, Liverpool's unstoppable form is in sharp contrast to those expected to be their main rivals. The remarkable Nottingham Forest apart, even at this stage it looks like it will take something special – or an unlikely red collapse – to stop Slot marking his first season at Anfield with a Premier League triumph.

Arsenal and Chelsea will still harbour title aspirations, but this Liverpool team currently has such self-belief and confidence that it is almost impossible to see how, or where, they will stumble in pursuit of a first championship since 2020.

West Ham's desire for change at the end of last season led to the departure of David Moyes, who oversaw their Europa Conference League success in 2023, and the arrival of Lopetegui.

In an atmosphere so subdued you could almost hear a pin drop inside the vast bowl of the London Stadium, the Spaniard's struggle to make any sort of serious statement continued against Liverpool.

The closing stages were played out in an eerie silence apart from the sound made by thousands of celebrating visiting fans who had enjoyed a game where the Hammers barely gave them a moment of serious anxiety, those two Kudus efforts apart, although the second came when it was 4-0.

Liverpool are, arguably, Europe's form side at present, but West Ham's passive body language and defeatist approach betrayed a team that looked beaten from the first whistle.

The hosts did at least come into this game on the back of four games unbeaten in the league, but this was a defeat that brought them back to grim reality.

And after spending £120m in the summer, there still seems no discernible improvement under Lopetegui since he succeeded Moyes, with West Ham down in 13th place and nine points clear of relegation.

Summer signings Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Fullkrug, brought in to add creativity and threat, were on the bench at the start and only Kudus – and of course the tireless Jarrod Bowen who went off injured on the hour – looked capable of producing a spark.

Thousands of West Ham fans left well before the final whistle, leaving swathes of empty white seats behind them as Liverpool closed out the victory in such comfort it was almost embarrassing.

Source: BBC Sport