There is nothing quite like a high-scoring Saturday afternoon at Anfield. After some of the set-piece struggles we endured earlier in the season, watching us dismantle West Ham by scoring three times from corners in the first half felt good.
Liverpool’s Set-Piece Masterclass
Arne Slot’s Reds have clearly been putting in the hours on the training ground. We looked a completely different animal from dead-ball situations. It took just six minutes for Hugo Ekitike to get us off the mark, turning home a Ryan Gravenberch ball after West Ham failed to clear their lines.
By the 24th minute, it was the skipper’s turn. Virgil van Dijk rose above everyone to head home a Dominik Szoboszlai delivery. When Alexis Mac Allister latched onto Ekitike’s knockdown just before the break to make it 3-0, the job was almost done.
Navigating the Anfield Anxiety
Being a Liverpool fan is never entirely stress-free, regardless of the scoreline. West Ham are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table right now, and they came out swinging in the second half. Tomas Soucek poked one back early on, and suddenly that familiar nervousness started to creep in.
Cody Gakpo seemed to have settled things with a deflected strike on the 70-minute mark, but when Taty Castellanos headed in West Ham’s second shortly after, the nerves started to jangle. For about five minutes, we looked a bit rattled, and Alisson had to be alert to keep the lead intact.
Finishing the job
Thankfully, we didn’t let the comeback happen. Jeremie Frimpong made a massive impact off the bench, showing exactly why we brought him in. His low, fizzing cross caused absolute chaos, forcing Axel Disasi into an own goal that finally killed the game at 5-2. It was a bit of a chaotic way to end it, but three points are three points and we desperately need them right now.
Final Thoughts
This win moves us level with Manchester United in fourth, albeit temporarily, and that Champions League spot is looking attainable. Ekitike is looking like a proper bargain, and seeing our set-piece efficiency flip from a weakness to a weapon is the most encouraging takeaway from Saturday’s game.
It wasn’t a perfect defensive display, and Slot will definitely have words about the lapses in concentration in the second half, but you cannot argue with five goals. We are finding our rhythm at the perfect time and scoring for fun.
