Liverpool 2-1 West Ham: Player ratings as Van Dijk heads home late winner

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90min

·13 April 2025

Liverpool 2-1 West Ham: Player ratings as Van Dijk heads home late winner

Virgil van Dijk's 89th-minute header earned Liverpool a 2-1 win over a spirited West Ham United at Anfield, in a result that stretches their lead at the top of the table to 13 points.

The Reds were comfortably the better side in the first 45 minutes and deservedly led at the break thanks to Luis Diaz's tenth Premier League goal of the season, laid on to him by an exquisite square ball from new two-year contract celebrant Mohamed Salah.

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West Ham weren't able to keep their foot on the ball in that opening passage, but things changed after the interval as Graham Potter instructed his side to stop playing long diagonal passes into their front duo of Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen.

Kudus, who did hit the crossbar in the first half during a rare foray forward, became more of a threat on the ground and Bowen, with his incisive running in behind, was denied an equaliser by Alisson when sent through one on one by Lucas Paqueta.

Alisson then denied Kudus with a smart save as Liverpool failed to generate any kind of momentum, and there was no real surprise when West Ham's equaliser did arrive four minutes from time. It was an unexpected name on the scoresheet, though – Robertson turning Aaron Wan-Bissaka's cross into his own net after failing to sort his feet out.

Anfield had been rocking at the start of the game as supporters basked in the glory of Salah's new contract and Liverpool's supporters were not to be denied. It was perhaps fitting that Van Dijk, who is expected to follow the Egyptian's lead by signing a new contract, was the match winner, rising highest from a corner to power home past Alphonse Areola.

Niclas Fullkrug still had time to hit the woodwork for West Ham before the final whistle, but the home side clung on to move within two wins of a second Premier League title.