Unlucky to lose at Anfield

Liverpool 2 West Ham 1

It's progress of a kind to be annoyed at not getting a result at Anfield. The Irons took the lead early on when Gomez could only head Masuaku's cross straight out to Fornals, who drilled it into the corner of Alisson's net. Rice had another fine game and Liverpool didn't have a shot on target in the first half as West Ham defended resolutely. The Reds equalised through a dodgy penalty. Masuaku was unwise to make minimal contact with Salah, but the Liverpool man went down in Strictly Come Dancing fashion.

In the second half the Hammers had two good chances at 1-1, both falling to Fornals. Pablo scuffed his effort from Masuaku's inviting cross and then shot against the legs of a defender rather than pass to the unmarked Bowen. Interestingly Haler played a role in the build-up to both these chances, but for the rest of the match was largely anonymous and didn't work hard enough. Liverpool's inexperienced Nathaniel Phillips should have been tested much more and Antonio's hold-up play was badly missed.

The arrival of Jota and Shaqiri  from the bench won the game for Liverpool. Jota first had a goal disallowed just about correctly for Mane's boot going into Fabianski. The winner came in the 85th minute as Yarmolenko lost the ball (in my head I could already hear my pal Matt haranguing him) in midfield and then Shaqiri found Jota with a clever through ball. The striker raced past Coufal and West Ham's offside trap to fire home.

Subs Lanzini and Benrahma were brought on too late to alter the game but credit to West Ham for still getting a corner in added time before Phillips headed away. OK it was the champions and progress is being made, but we have to learn to get something out of games like this.

Battling Hammers earn a point at Anfield

Liverpool 2 West Ham 2

Well, we'd have taken a point before the game. Watched this one from the Twelve Pins at Finsbury Park, which despite the Arsenal links has decent screens and a nice pint of Adnams Mosaic pale ale. A very mixed game for Darren Randolph, who spilled a routine cross to gift Origi the equaliser, but then produced one of the saves of the season to tip over Henderson's piledriver that was destined for the top corner. 

It looked like another thrashing as Mane burst down the left and crossed for Lallana to swivel and score after five minutes. But West Ham certainly showed a lot of character and were definitely playing for Slaven. Noble, Obiang and even Ayew did a lot of midfield scuffling and Antonio's burst forward, forcing a save from Karius, was a sign of intent. 

West Ham equalised when Obiang was brought down and Payet scored direct from the free kick. It was a fine free kick but having got a palm to the ball Karius should have done better. Great celebration from Dimitri who gave the corner flag a salute. It got better as Nordtveit's hopeful punt spun off a Liverpool player, confusing Matip, as Antonio ran behind him to prod post the hesitant Karius. Payet almost gave away a penalty in his own box jus before the interval, but it was a sign that he was working for the cause. 

Randolph's spill gifted Liverpool the equaliser after 48 minutes, but the Hammers' custodian  then redeemed himself with that superb save from Henderson. It was a fine defensive performance from the Hammers, with Reid and Ogbonna outstanding, while even Nordtveit grew into the game and started to look reasonably solid at right back. Big Andy came on and got a  bloodied face going for a cross with Karius while Antonio was tireless when switched to right midfield. A decent cameo from sub Fernandes too. 

Didn't expect to get anything from this and West Ham are now out of the bottom three. It certainly had Matt and Lisa dancing in the streets of La Palma, where they had been on a romantic mini-break watching the final of the Copa Pepe Gonzalez (won by Atletico Paso) and they celebrated our draw with bottles of Dimitri, a Tenerife craft beer and some Ronnie Biggs brown ale. Meanwhile Nigel texts from Status Quo's last ever London electric gig to say he's relieved we're no longer going down down deeper and down.

A point at Klopp's Kop should ensure we go into the Burnley and Hull games with much more confidence. Irons!