On a day of goalkeeping uncertainty at Anfield, Divock Origi’s early second half equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Liverpool against West Ham United. Adam Lallana gave the Reds the lead as early as the 5th minute, but Dimitri Payet’s sublime free-kick brought the Hammers back into it, before Michail Antonio poked the ball past Loris Karius to give the Hammers a half-time lead.
The draw means Liverpool are now six points behind Chelsea, in 3rd place in the Premier League.
Here is how each individual performed.
Liverpool
Loris Karius – 4/10
The German got his positioning all wrong for Payet’s free-kick. He showed the French wizard too much of the goal and he was only too happy to take the opportunity. With West Ham’s second goal, he was caught halfway between staying on his line and rushing out, and in the end, did neither, giving Antonio an easy finish. He was a little more decisive in the second half, as he showed when he punched away a cross almost off Andy Carroll’s head.
Nathaniel Clyne – 6/10
He handled Payet rather well from open play and got forward at will. But as usual, his end-product in the final third was woeful. He had a good opportunity to give Liverpool the lead after Adam Lallana’s back-heel set him up for a shot but he blazed over from the edge of the area.
Joel Matip – 6/10
Matip brought some composure back to the Liverpool defence. He made several crucial interventions and when Carroll came on, dealt with the big striker decisively. But, there will be question marks over his role in West Ham’s second goal, as he misjudged the flight of the ball after it deflected off Henderson on its way to Antonio.
Dejan Lovren – 5/10
Antonio annoyed him with his pace in the second half. On one such occasion, Lovren had to be bailed out by a good save from Karius. He was taken off at half-time to be replaced by Klavan.
James Milner – 6/10
It was a performance of the kind we have come to expect from Milner. He galloped up and down the flank all through the game. He put some fabulous crosses into the box that no Liverpool player attacked.
Jordan Henderson – 7/10
Henderson kept the play ticking and did well to break up a lot of West Ham’s attacks. He played some lovely cross-field passes to Milner on the left side. He also had a stunning goal-bound effort brilliantly saved by Darren Randolph to deny him a second worldie of the season.
Geroginio Wijnaldum – 7/10
A typically energetic performance from Wijnaldum. On another day, he could have had a goal or two. Soon after Origi’s equaliser, he had a glorious chance but put his left-foot shot wide. Another opportunity was when he spun around Winston Reid and had his shot blocked, when squaring it to Firmino might have been the better option.
Adam Lallana – 6.5/10
Lallana got Liverpool off to the perfect start in his first start in five games. His shot in the 5th minute gave Randolph no chance and looked to set the Reds on their way to a routine Anfield win. But it was not to be as West Ham showed grit and resolve.
Sadio Mane – 8/10
He was Liverpool’s best player of the game. He assisted both goals and was a constant menace to West Ham’s defenders. Aaron Cresswell had a torrid evening dealing with Mane as the Senegalese proved elusive all game.
Roberto Firmino – 5/10
He was very quiet. Ever since Philippe Coutinho’s injury, Firmino has been half the player that he was. Maybe it’s the absence of his partner in crime or maybe it is his position on the left wing; Jurgen Klopp needs him to rediscover that mojo very soon.
Divock Origi – 6/10
He brought Liverpool back into the game early in the second half and looked energetic, but he did not hold the ball up very well, just like last week against Bournemouth.
Substitutes
Ragnar Klavan – 6/10
After replacing Lovren at the interval, he looked much more assured than the Croatian. He was calm, composed, assured and brought the ball out of the back really well.
West Ham United
Darren Randolph – 6/10
You can say he won West Ham the point with an absolutely brilliant save off Henderson’s curler, but he was the one who gifted Liverpool’s second goal in the first place. He would have been better advised to punch that cross out rather than try to catch it. In the end, he spilt it straight into the path of Origi.
Havard Nordtveit – 4/10
West Ham’s makeshift right-back had an extremely poor game. He was caught out of position far too often. He was caught ball watching far too often. He was lucky that Firmino wasn’t on his A-game.
Winston Reid – 6/10
He was clumsy at times, but he was effective in dealing with Origi. Late in stoppage time, he could have been penalised for a stupid challenge on Origi that could have given Milner the chance to win it for Liverpool from the penalty spot.
Angelo Ogbonna – 6/10
Like Reid, it wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing performance from the Italian.
Aaron Cresswell – 5/10
Cresswell was tormented by Mane all game. He didn’t know which side the Senegalese was going and never really made a strong, decisive intervention. When he went forward, he was far too conservative. Especially in the second half, he should have crossed it towards Carroll and put pressure on Karius.
Mark Noble – 6/10
He stood tall in midfield and led a few of West Ham’s counter-attacks in the second half, but his lack of pace meant that those broke down.
Pedro Obiang – 6/10
Like Noble, he sat in front of his back four and tried to repel whatever Liverpool threw at them. And to an extent, he was successful at doing so. He won the free-kick for a challenge from Lallana, which Payet tucked away.
Manuel Lanzini – 4/10
Lanzini barely made any contribution before being taken off to be replaced by Edimilson Fernandes.
Dimitri Payet – 7/10
A typically sumptuous free-kick from Payet brought the Hammers back into the game. But that was virtually his only contribution in the whole match.
Andre Ayew – 5/10
Ayew had a great opportunity to give West Ham the lead in the second half, but he put his header wide. He should have taken the chance with his feet.
Michail Antonio – 6/10
In another new position, leading the Hammers’ attack, Antonio did his reputation no harm. He gave Lovren a tough time in the first half, but his impact reduced in the second as Klavan looked much more assured.
Substitutes
Andy Carroll – 5/10
He was brought on to pose an aerial challenge to Liverpool, but West Ham barely crossed the ball to him.
Edimilson Fernandes – N/A
He barely had a touch of the ball after coming on to replace Lanzini in the 78th minute.
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