Liverpool marched confidently towards the Premier League title with a commanding 5-0 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium.

Arne Slot’s side delivered a dominant performance, extending their lead at the top of the table to eight points. While Chelsea and Arsenal still have games to play, Liverpool’s momentum looks unstoppable.

\

The Reds set the tone from the start, taking the lead through Luis Diaz’s precise finish. Cody Gakpo doubled the advantage with a well-taken goal in the 40th minute, and Mohamed Salah effectively sealed the win before halftime.

In the second half, Liverpool maintained their control, with Trent Alexander-Arnold adding a fourth via a deflected strike, and Diogo Jota capping off the scoring late in the match.

For West Ham, it was a night to forget. Manager Julen Lopetegui will be frustrated by his team’s lackluster display, although Mohammed Kudus offered a brief moment of hope when he hit the post with Liverpool leading 1-0. Alphonse Areola also produced several fine saves to keep the scoreline from becoming more one-sided, but few other West Ham players impressed.

Player Ratings

West Ham (4-5-1)

• Alphonse Areola – 4.5
  Started brightly with key saves but was beaten too easily for several goals.
• Vladimir Coufal – 5
  Struggled defensively, particularly against the pace of Diaz and Gakpo.
• Konstantinos Mavropanos – 5
  Had difficulty containing Liverpool’s dynamic attack.
• Max Kilman – 5
  Unfortunate deflection for Alexander-Arnold’s goal but endured a tough outing.
• Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 4.5
  Salah proved too much for him to handle.
• Mohammed Kudus – 5.5
  Came closest to scoring with a shot that hit the post but was largely ineffective.
• Lucas Paqueta – 5
  Slipped at a critical moment early on and struggled to influence the game.
• Edson Alvarez – 4
  Overrun in midfield and substituted at halftime.
• Carlos Soler – 5
  Failed to match the intensity of Liverpool’s midfield.
• Emerson – 4.5
  Had a torrid time trying to contain Salah.
• Jarrod Bowen – 5
  Barely saw the ball and made little impact after an early chance.

Substitutes

• Niclas Fullkrug (46’) – 5
• Jean-Clair Todibo (46’) – 5
• Crysencio Summerville (60’) – 7
• Andy Irving (73’) – 5.5
• Luis Guilherme (81’) – N/A

Manager

• Julen Lopetegui – 4
  West Ham were disorganized and too easily penetrated.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1)

• Alisson Becker – 6
  Had almost nothing to do with West Ham failing to register a shot on target.
• Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7.5
  Scored via a deflection and contributed to Liverpool’s attacking rhythm.
• Joe Gomez – 6
  Played just 37 minutes before a hamstring injury forced him off.
• Virgil van Dijk – 6.5
  Calm and composed in defense, vital in initiating attacks.
• Andy Robertson – 7
  Recovered well after an early error and was influential in attack.
• Ryan Gravenberch – 7
  Efficient in possession and worked tirelessly off the ball.
• Alexis Mac Allister – 8
  Excelled with his passing and defensive contributions, controlling the midfield.
• Mohamed Salah – 9 (MOTM)
  Delivered a magical performance with a goal and two assists.
• Curtis Jones – 8
  Energetic and dangerous throughout, unlucky not to score.
• Cody Gakpo – 8
  Continued his excellent form with a goal and clever link-up play.
• Luis Diaz – 8
  Thriving as a central forward, scoring a thunderous opener.

Substitutes

• Jarell Quansah (37’) – 6.5
• Diogo Jota (57’) – 7
• Wataru Endo (57’) – 6.5
• Kostas Tsimikas (73’) – 6
• Harvey Elliott (73’) – 6

Manager

• Arne Slot – 8
  Another stellar display under his leadership, ending 2024 on a high.

Referee

• Anthony Taylor – 7