Liverpool 1-0 West Ham: Sadio Mane’s opening goal helped Liverpool beat West Ham United to close the point gap to three points behind leaders City

An uncharacteristically shaky Liverpool managed to hold on and beat West Ham 1-0 thanks to Sadio Mané’s first half goal.

Luis Diaz was preferred to Diogo Jota in the Liverpool attack while West Ham had a Declan Rice-shaped hole in their midfield with the England international injured. Mohamed Salah looked really up for this game and had two opportunities on goal inside the opening five minutes that forced the Hammers into defensive action.

But it was his partner Sadio Mané who opened the scoring on 27 minutes as the Senegal international latched on to a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross to tap in. Jürgen Klopp’s side really should have been two goals ahead soon after but West Ham managed to stop Salah scoring thanks to a mad goal line scramble.

Liverpool 1-0 West Ham: Liverpool close the point gap to three points behind leaders Man City

There was more goal line action at the other end as Alexander-Arnold raced back to his own goal and cleared a certain goal from Pablo Fornals.

6️⃣0️⃣ @PremierLeague games at Anfield without defeat for @VirgilvDijk.

52 wins. 8 draws.

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐥. 👏 pic.twitter.com/ae1JAHQ3j6

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 5, 2022

After the break it looked like things were turning in the away side’s favour, briefly, until Jarrod Bowen was forced to leave the pitch injured in what could be a huge blow with Sevilla in the Europa League next week.

Luis Diaz has been a fine January addition and almost got on the scoresheet here but curled his effort just wide of the post. West Ham then had two great efforts to pull one back but Manuel Lanzini and Michail Antonio mis-fired.