Lopetegui's struggles at West Ham continue
West Ham United 0 - 5 Liverpool
Liverpool stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points as they thrashed an abject West Ham United at the London Stadium
Liverpool could have been out of sight early on, squandering several chances before Luis DÃaz finally broke the deadlock with a powerful strike on the half-hour mark. Cody Gakpo doubled the lead 10 minutes later, capitalising on Mohamed Salah’s mesmerising footwork, and the Egyptian himself got in on the act with a precise low drive just before half-time – his 20th goal in a remarkable season.
West Ham, under Julen Lopetegui, failed to even contain the damage. Trent Alexander-Arnold made it 4-0 nine minutes after the restart, his long-range shot deflecting off Max Kilman to leave Alphonse Areola helpless.
For the hosts, only Mohammed Kudus showed any sign of resistance, striking the woodwork in both halves, while Luis Guilherme also hit the frame of the goal late on. However, these fleeting moments offered no solace as Liverpool’s dominance was absolute.
The gulf in class was laid bare six minutes from time when Salah weaved his way past several West Ham defenders with a dazzling run from inside his own half before unselfishly setting up substitute Diogo Jota, who finished with his usual composure.
Where next for West Ham?
West Ham's decision to part ways with David Moyes at the end of last season, despite his Europa Conference League triumph in 2023, marked a fresh start under Julen Lopetegui. However, the transition has been anything but smooth.
At a subdued London Stadium, where the atmosphere was so flat you could almost hear a pin drop, Lopetegui’s side struggled to make any meaningful impact against Liverpool. The visiting fans had plenty to cheer about, while West Ham offered little resistance, apart from two late efforts by Mohammed Kudus – one of which came when they were already 4-0 down.
Liverpool, arguably the most in-form team in Europe right now, dominated proceedings, but West Ham’s body language and lack of fight suggested a side resigned to defeat from the outset.
Although the Hammers entered the match unbeaten in their last four league games, this defeat was a sobering reminder of their current struggles. Despite spending £120 million over the summer, there’s been little sign of progress under Lopetegui, with the team languishing in 13th place, just nine points above the relegation zone.
Big-money signings Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Füllkrug started on the bench, leaving Kudus and the tireless Jarrod Bowen – who was forced off injured after an hour – as the only players showing any real spark.
By the final whistle, thousands of disillusioned West Ham fans had already left, leaving rows of empty white seats as Liverpool coasted to an embarrassingly comfortable victory.
West Ham fans critical of their side's performance again
Well that was a surprise... said no one at all
— West Ham Images (@HamImages) December 29, 2024
Jamie Pugh told us: "It's really alarming how easily teams can get through our defense. Our players don't seem eager to win the ball back, unlike our competitors. We make too many mistakes and often choose the wrong options when going forward. If Niclas Füllkrug needs to play, I would prefer to see Jarrod Bowen on the left and Mohammed Kudus on the right. I also don't understand why we keep playing Lucas Paquetá—he clearly lacks the motivation to give his best. The manager needs to go, and I believe Graham Potter should take over."
Mikey added: "That was a really terrible performance. The players struggled with the basics. I don’t blame the manager; this is on the players, who were quite poor. It felt almost spineless."
