Disaster has struck Matt and Lisa — after an over-confident long romantic dinner at the Best Cafe, they have arrived to find the programmes sold out. They are collectors' items too, as for some reason Manuel Pellegrini's notes are those from the Arsenal game. Lisa thinks that as they worked against the Gunners this might be deliberate. Luckily Highway Star Nigel has asked me to get his programme in advance. "If we win by eight goals we go up to eighth," suggests an optimistic Fraser at the kick-off. There's no sign of Alison behind us, as she's presumably warming up in Liverpool's goal.
West Ham play well for the first 20 minutes against a team in a flecked grey kit that looks rather like pyjamas. Neat inter-play between Noble and Hernandez sees the Mexican striker shoot just past the post. Then Cresswell fires an effort from the edge of the box just wide again. It's clear that Anderson has the beating of emergency right-back Milner as the Irons make inroads on the left. Rice is dominating midfield and Fredericks, though sometimes giving possession away, is giving us more speed on the right and is having his best game for West Ham. Chicharito then has a powerful drive beaten away by the all-in-pink Alisson.
Against the run of play Liverpool take the lead. Milner is clearly offside as the crowd let the lino know with a torrent of f words. Bizarrely he waves play on and Milner crosses for Mane to control adoitly, turn Diop and stroke home. Looks like it's going to be the usual 4-0 defeat. Referee Kevin is no Friend of Matt's and the away fans start to fantasise about winning the league.
ALISSON, MICHAIL'S AIM IS TRUE
But the Hammers show character to come back. Six minutes after Liverpool's goal Snodgrass and Anderson work a free kick as Felipe rolls the ball to Antonio as the Pool defenders expect a cross. Michail fires in off the post and does his Gangnam Style celebration. The whole ground is momentarily stunned that a training ground routine has for once actually worked.
The crowd volume rises and Rice sends a free header wide after being found by another Anderson free kick. It should have been 2-1 and although Declan has been immense, finishing is the one area he needs to improve on.
In the second half Diop has a header wide from a corner, but Liverpool dominate possession without really testing Fabianski. When Salah does wriggle through in trademark style his shot is too close to Fabianski. But Anderson is always an outlet. Matip is booked after one crude challenge on the WHU talisman. Good work by Snodgrass sees Felipe weave across the area and Noble loft it over the bar.
"Is an old injury affecting your health?" asks the ad for Spire Healthcare on the big screen, presumably aimed at Jack Wilshere. While speaking of injuries, Andy Carroll comes on to clatter around the Liverpool back four like an iron giant, to quote the Guardian's Barney Ronay.
Late on Antonio gets through but elects to pass rather than shoot. The 59,903 fans sing Bubbles and sense an upset. For once hardly anyone leaves early. But it's almost snatched by Liverpool with the last kick as a clearly offside Origi fires tamely at Fabianski. In the end we've been unlucky not to win and despite having only 27 per cent of possession have created the better chances. Jurgen Klopp's men are now just three points clear.
This season the Hammers have given the top six teams a game at the London Stadium, taking points from Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. It's just a mystery why WHU can't play like this against the mid-table sides, or even Wimbledon.
We retreat to the Refreshment Rooms to celebrate with a couple of pints of Meantime. Nigel announces that he's going on a mini-break with CQ to Vienna, though it means nothing to me. Perhaps he wants to pay homage at the birthplace of Marko Arnautovic.
Much much better from the Irons. An unexpected bonus point and it could have been three.
PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 7; Fredericks 7, Diop 7, Ogbonna 7, Cresswell 7; Snodgrass 7, Rice 8, Noble 7 (Obiang 6), Anderson 8 (Masuaku n/a); Antonio 8, Hernandez 7 (Carroll 6).
2 comments:
Bussed in from the black lion where the concensus was 1-4! Typical West ham. Has the refreshment rooms still got the table tennis table? Bit weird to have it there in front of the bar?!
At least we're reliably unpredictable. Think they do have the table tennis still, though I was in a bit of a daze at the shock of seeing a set-piece ploy work on the pitch....
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