West Ham 0-5 Liverpool player ratings: Mo Salah redefines excellence as Reds show no mercy | OneFootball

Liverpool strengthened their hold on the Premier League top spot with a resounding 5-0 victory against West Ham this evening.

Arne Slot’s team entered the 19th matchday having played one game less than their rivals, yet they had a six-point lead over second-place Arsenal. They understood the importance of not allowing their challengers any hope, even at this midway point in the season.

Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo, and Mohamed Salah each scored in a 14-minute span before half-time, effectively sealing the victory against a hapless Hammers team. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota scored Liverpool’s fourth and fifth goals after halftime.

Meanwhile, the Hammers recorded their first match in the Premier League since May 2021 (against Everton) where they failed to have a single shot on target. This latest setback has intensified scrutiny on Julen Lopetegui, who is currently the second favourite to be dismissed from his position, with Ange Postecoglou leading the list.

West Ham player ratings

Alphonse Areola: 67%

A first Premier League start since conceding four goals against Tottenham in October, and Alphonse Areola knew he would face a tough challenge against the league’s number one team and highest scorers heading into this matchday. The former Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper was pleased when he denied Mohamed Salah from close range, just as it seemed the Reds were about to take the lead in the sixth minute. This was the first of three crucial saves he made, but ultimately, he couldn’t keep a clean sheet (albeit making eight saves) as Arne Slot’s men eventually broke through.

Maximilian Kilman: 61%

Maximilian Kilman’s performance against Liverpool was characterized by four clearances and one interception, highlighting his struggles to assert himself against the aggressive attacking play of the opposing forwards. Even prominent players like Salah managed to penetrate the Hammers’ defence, forcing them onto the defensive.

Konstantinos Mavropanos: 61%

Before the match, Konstantinos Mavropanos discussed the possibility of thwarting Liverpool by adhering to a strategy West Ham devised. However, that plan quickly fell apart. He will especially want to forget the sequence leading to Gakpo’s goal, where Salah executed a nutmeg on him with a touch reminiscent of Bergkamp.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 55%

The challenging responsibility of monitoring Mohamed Salah, a role Wan-Bissaka has previously undertaken while playing for Manchester United, proved difficult. However, as Wan-Bissaka is not a natural left-back, he frequently found himself out of position, allowing Liverpool to effectively direct much of their offensive efforts down their right side.

Emerson: 55%

Emerson, nominally a left-back who has shown he is capable of scoring, was positioned as West Ham’s left winger. However, he played in a more defensive role, winning three out of his five attempted tackles. He did not create any chances or take any shots on goal.

Vladimír Coufal: 49%

Coufal faced a daunting challenge with Cody Gakpo and Andy Robertson relentlessly attacking his flank. Even Luis Diaz found himself drawn to that side of the pitch. Struggling to make an impact, Coufal failed to win any of his two attempted duels, including one aerial challenge. He was substituted at halftime.

Mohammed Kudus: 61%

He was unfortunate to see a long-range shot hit the post. This season, only Erling Haaland (4) has struck the woodwork in more Premier League games than Kudus (3).

Carlos Soler: 49%

Carlos Soler had a largely unremarkable performance, appearing to make an impact before being substituted in the 73rd minute. The West Ham forward concluded the match without attempting a shot on Alisson’s goal or creating any scoring opportunities.

Edson Álvarez: 48%

Despite being known for accumulating yellow cards, it was unexpected that Edson Álvarez did not receive a booking, particularly as Liverpool gained dominance in midfield, which could have led to him losing his composure. He made one tackle and had only two misplaced passes, despite limited possession. He was substituted at halftime.

Lucas Paquetá: 61%

Even in a more withdrawn position, one would anticipate greater output from Lucas Paquetá; however, the Brazilian can be forgiven as he was overwhelmed by Liverpool’s relentless pressure. He managed only one shot that missed the target and created a single scoring opportunity that hardly qualifies as a ‘big chance.’

Jarrod Bowen: 46%

Recently, he has shown strong performance, but this match was too demanding for West Ham’s influential captain, Bowen, who managed only one shot, which did not hit the target (0.02 xG). A tough challenge from Alexis Mac Allister caused him some discomfort, and with challenging matches ahead, he was substituted on the hour mark.

Liverpool player ratings

Alisson: 62%

The Liverpool goalkeeper’s post was struck three times but he had only one actual save to make, a comfortable one at that. Otherwise Alisson commanded his box well and was confident and forward-thinking in his passing (82% accuracy).

Andy Robertson: 64%

Robertson recovered well from a mistake early on that gave West Ham the first chance of the game. Some of his play looked laboured but on the whole this solid display rewarded those Liverpool fans who still have faith in him. He won two tackles and found a teammate with two of four attempted crosses.

Virgil van Dijk: 73%

Van Dijk won seven duels against West Ham, the joint-most of the match, including all three aerial duels contested. He also completed two take-ons, one of which put him through on goal against Areola.

Joe Gomez: N/A

After suffering a hamstring injury in the 36th minute, Gomez was replaced by Jarell Quansah (70%). Quansah had a comfortable game, though he was rarely tested. Around 20 minutes into the second half, Quansah made a couple of important defensive interventions against Summerville.

Trent Alexander-Arnold: 82%

A complete performance. In the 56th minute, Alexander-Arnold let fly from range, profiting from a Kilman deflection to score his first Premier League goal of the season. He celebrated with the blah-blah hand gesture, presumably referencing increased gossip of a move to Real Madrid lately. He also played a beautiful cross for Salah in the 77th minute, one of two big chances he created today and won possession eight times in his defensive third, the most of any Liverpool player.

Alexis Mac Allister: 81%

Today showed why Mac Allister is one of the Premier League’s most complete midfielders. His lofted, up-field pass set Jones away in the build-up to Liverpool’s second. Four minutes later, he won the ball from Soler and fed Jones, who in turn assisted Liverpool’s third. Mac Allister won four tackles, the joint-most of the game, and created three chances — only Salah managed more.

Ryan Gravenberch: 57%

By the high standards, Gravenberch has set this season, this was not his tidiest performance. He played just two successful passes into the final third and only six accurate forward passes. Wataru Endo replaced Gravenberch in the 58th minute to avoid the booking that would have seen him suspended for next Sunday’s Manchester United game.

Cody Gakpo: 76%

Gakpo came close to opening the scoring from Salah’s seventh-minute cross. He was subbed for Diogo Jota in the 58th minute, ending the game with a goal and one ‘big chance’ created. But Gakpo also deserves praise for his defensive work, frequently backing up Robertson to deal with West Ham’s biggest threat, Mohammed Kudus. He made four ball recoveries and completed 10 final-third passes.

Curtis Jones: 75%

Jones’ energetic pressing led to three tackles won, often switching places with Luis Diaz in the roaming No.9 role. Jones was involved in the build-up to Liverpool’s second and minutes later played the ball across the face of the goal to set up Salah for the third. He was replaced by Harvey Elliott after 73 minutes, looking justifiably delighted with his performance.

Mohamed Salah: 81%

Nearly every touch or contribution Salah made during the first half seemed to lead to a goalscoring opportunity for Liverpool. He could have scored and assisted twice inside the first 15 minutes.

First, he was denied by a great Areola save; then his lofted cross came inches from setting up Gakpo for a header minutes later. A lovely reverse ball for Jones followed shortly after before Salah’s Bergkamp-esque nutmeg (though he later admitted it was unintentional) wrong-footed Mavropanos, allowing him to poke the ball through Kilman’s legs (this one he said he meant) across the six-yard box for Gakpo to sweep in Liverpool’s second in the 41st minute. His slotted finish put Liverpool three goals ahead minutes later.

The second half was much less clinical. With better finishing, Salah would probably have scored a hat-trick today, as he had four ‘big chances’ to score overall. He still displayed his world-class close control on the break before setting up Diogo Jota for Liverpool’s fifth goal. Salah also completed four dribbles, more than any player during the game, and created four chances, which was also the most.

Luis Díaz: 70%

Diaz took full advantage of a stroke of fortune to open the scoring today, playing a one-two with Coufal to tee himself him for the finish. Along with his goal, Diaz completed two ‘high turnovers’ – winning possession close to the opponent’s goal. His stamina and chemistry with Jones or the suspended Dominik Szoboszlai are starting to shine in this false-nine role.

How do Squawka player ratings work?

Squawka’s new player rating system is wholly stats-based. Player scores are based on the numbers they put up across a range of on-ball events, from goals scored to tackles won.

We tailored each score to the players’ respective positions using extensive research and expertise. For example, forwards are rated on metrics like shots on target, touches in the opposition box, and big chances created. Meanwhile, centre-backs are rewarded for winning aerial duels, making blocks, successful long-range passes, etc.

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