Liverpool 5-2 West Ham: Ekitike Leads Ruthless Reds as Set-Piece Power Shifts Top-Four Race
ANFIELD — For the first time this season, Liverpool truly cut loose.
In a performance defined less by artistry and more by precision, Liverpool struck five times to overwhelm West Ham United 5-2 at Anfield, reigniting their push for Champions League qualification and piling fresh pressure on their struggling visitors.
By half-time, the contest was all but settled. Goals from Hugo Ekitiké, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister had given the hosts a commanding 3-0 lead — their most decisive first-half display in a league game at Anfield this term.
West Ham responded with spirit after the interval through Tomas Souček and Taty Castellanos, but further strikes from Cody Gakpo and an own goal by Axel Disasi ensured the points remained firmly on Merseyside.
The result lifts Liverpool above Chelsea and level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United, while West Ham remain entrenched in the relegation zone.
Set-Piece Precision Sets the Tone
It took just five minutes for the breakthrough.
Ryan Gravenberch’s delivery found Ekitike, who darted into space and finished sharply at the near post for his 16th goal of the season. It was the start of a theme that would define the afternoon.
Midway through the half, Van Dijk rose highest to meet Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner, powering a header beyond Mads Hermansen. Then, just before the interval, Mac Allister’s sweetly struck volley — aided by a deflection — capped a devastating spell.
All three first-half goals originated from set-pieces. For a side that struggled earlier in the campaign from dead-ball situations, it represented a remarkable transformation. Since the turn of the year, Liverpool have become the Premier League’s most potent side from set-plays (excluding penalties), a statistic that underlines the meticulous work done on the training ground by manager Arne Slot and his staff.
If Liverpool were not dazzling, they were clinical — and that has often been enough.
West Ham’s Resistance — and Collapse
The scoreline, however, only told part of the story.
West Ham had their moments. Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jarrod Bowen and Soucek all squandered opportunities before the break. Their expected goals tally ultimately edged Liverpool’s, a statistic that hints at a contest more competitive than the final result suggests.
Soucek pulled one back early in the second half, glancing home from El Hadji Malick Diouf’s inviting cross. The visitors sensed vulnerability, and for brief periods Anfield grew restless as Liverpool struggled to regain control.
Gakpo steadied nerves in the 70th minute, his deflected effort restoring a three-goal cushion. Castellanos’ composed finish once again reduced the deficit, but any lingering hope was extinguished when Jeremie Frimpong’s cross was turned into his own net by Disasi.
For West Ham, the frustration will linger. They were unbeaten throughout February before this defeat and showed attacking threat in phases. Yet defensive lapses — particularly from set-pieces — proved costly.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo later admitted the result felt harsher than the performance deserved, but acknowledged his side “made mistakes from set-pieces” that proved decisive.
With the club confirming significant financial losses this week and the likelihood of player sales looming this summer, the pressure is mounting. The sight of travelling supporters leaving before half-time spoke volumes.
Ekitike’s Influence Grows
If there was a standout figure, it was Ekitike.
The French forward not only opened the scoring but also contributed two assists, linking cleverly and exploiting defensive hesitation. His movement unsettled West Ham throughout, and his composure in front of goal offered a cutting edge that Liverpool have occasionally lacked this season.
Notably absent from the scoresheet once again was Mohamed Salah, who remains without a league goal in his past 10 appearances. Yet on this evidence, Liverpool are finding alternative routes to victory.
Slot will also take encouragement from the return of Frimpong from injury and Joe Gomez’s solid display at right-back. Defensive frailties remain — conceding twice at home will not please the coaching staff — but the attacking output compensated.
A Turning Point in the Top-Four Race?
Liverpool had not scored five in a league match since their title-clinching victory over Tottenham last April. Nor had they managed three first-half goals in a Premier League game at Anfield this season before Saturday.
This felt different.
There was urgency, sharper execution, and — crucially — efficiency in key moments. Four of the five goals involved deflections of some sort, but fortune often favours the side applying sustained pressure.
For West Ham, time is running short. They sit 18th, two points adrift of safety, and defensive vulnerabilities continue to undermine promising passages of play.
Liverpool, meanwhile, travel to Wolves on Tuesday buoyed by renewed belief. West Ham face Fulham knowing that performances alone will no longer suffice.
At Anfield, ruthlessness returned. And in a season defined by fine margins, that may yet prove decisive.
