Liverpool snap three-game skid with West Ham win as Isak nets his first Premier League goal of the season; Salah benched for the first time in 54 league matches

Analysis by Hikaru Sakamoto

Premier League Matchweek 13 saw Liverpool finally halt their disastrous run of form with a much-needed 2–0 away win over West Ham on Saturday.

The match took place on November 30 (local time in the UK).

Liverpool came into the match in crisis mode:
they had just suffered three consecutive defeats by three goals or more — something the club hadn’t done in 72 years. The gap to league-leaders Arsenal had already stretched to 11 points, leaving no margin for error in their title defense.

Arne Slot reacted with bold changes.
Wataru Endo and Hugo Ekitike were restored to the XI, while Mohamed Salah was benched for the first time in 54 Premier League matches. New signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz both started.

🔥 First Half: Liverpool dominate the ball, Areola denies everything

Liverpool tried to control possession early, and in the 4th minute Wirtz created the first big chance for Isak — but the striker blasted his shot over the bar.

West Ham, meanwhile, threatened repeatedly with sharp counterattacks and compact defending, forcing Liverpool into a nervy spell.

In the 21st minute, Joe Gomez squared a perfect ball across the box, only for Isak’s close-range effort to be brilliantly saved by Alphonse Areola.

Liverpool created another huge chance in the 39th minute when Virgil van Dijk sent a long pass behind the defense. Wirtz found himself alone in the box, but once again Areola came up big.
The first half ended scoreless.

🔥 Second Half: Isak finally breaks his PL duck

Liverpool continued to dominate the ball, but West Ham pushed forward with momentum after the break, winning a series of corners and drawing loud support from the home crowd.
Lucas Paquetá even unleashed a rocket from distance after a cheeky rainbow flick.

But Liverpool struck first, completely against the run of play.

A long throw led to a loose ball, Liverpool recycled possession, and Cody Gakpo whipped in a low cross that Isak tapped home with a one-touch finish.
The new signing’s first Premier League goal of the season — and a huge sigh of relief for the traveling supporters.

Slot subbed Isak off for Ekitike in the 68th minute and later replaced Wirtz and Curtis Jones to stabilize the midfield.
Ekitike nearly doubled the lead with a curling effort, but West Ham continued to press hard.

🔥 Paquetá sent off, Liverpool hold on, Gakpo seals it

In the 84th minute, Paquetá received a second yellow for dissent, leaving West Ham with ten men.
Even then, Liverpool still had to survive a scare when Jarrod Bowen fired a dangerous shot in the 88th minute.

Deep into stoppage time, Liverpool iced the match when Gakpo scored the second, completing a gritty 2–0 win.

🟥 Final Score: West Ham 0–2 Liverpool

The victory ends Liverpool’s three-match losing streak in all competitions and moves them to 21 points on the season — finally stopping the bleeding in their title chase.

The Bigger Picture

This wasn’t a statement win — it was a victory that simply stopped the free fall.

From the supporters’ perspective, this win mattered — not because it was beautiful, but because it finally stopped the free fall. After weeks of chaos, heavy defeats, and mounting tension, Liverpool walking away from London with a 2–0 win and a clean sheet felt like oxygen. As many fans put it plainly: finally, a win.
There was no explosion of joy, no cathartic release. Instead, the dominant feeling was relief mixed with exhaustion. Alexander Isak scoring his first league goal, Cody Gakpo finishing clinically, and the team keeping West Ham out were tangible positives that fans could actually point to. Florian Wirtz showed flashes. Joe Gomez at fullback looked like an obvious fix that somehow took months to arrive. These were concrete, visible improvements — small, but real.
At the same time, supporters clearly didn’t see this as a turning point wrapped in optimism. The performance still felt heavy. Mohamed Salah staying on the bench for the full 90 minutes wasn’t just a tactical decision; it symbolized a club in transition, possibly moving on from an era whether it’s ready or not. Arne Slot didn’t look relieved — and fans noticed. His body language, like the football, suggested a manager surviving rather than thriving.
This wasn’t celebration. It was acknowledgment. A win that mattered because the alternative was unthinkable.

Fan Reactions

• Finally, a win. Thank god. What a slog.
• Slot won but man… his face looks like he just filed his taxes.
• Can you blame him? The performance wasn’t great.
• Ekitike and Wirtz weren’t needed at all. Waste of money. Gakpo’s basically a striker — we needed real wingers.
• So Salah didn’t even come off the bench? Here we go again.
• Honestly, that felt like a complete win. Best performance and result we’ve had in weeks.
• The front office is the real problem. They created this mess — even after a win, everyone’s stressed.
• Clean sheet, Isak scores, Wirtz showing flashes — okay, let’s build on it.
• Eventually you have to move on from Salah anyway. This might actually be a turning-point game.
• Should’ve used Gomez way earlier. Why was Szoboszlai ever at fullback?
• Because nobody could cover Salah’s defensive workload. Everyone else got injured trying.
• It wasn’t Wirtz restricting Salah — it was Salah restricting Wirtz.
• Wirtz was solid. Mac Allister still feels sketchy. Too many players fighting for the same zones.
• We won but no one’s smiling. The vibes are awful.
• Love this team, man. They always keep the anxiety alive.
• Two players finished their chances. One absolutely didn’t. Football’s simple sometimes.
• Slot probably stays. Same cycle as always.
• He prioritizes players who fit his system. Veterans will get phased out.
• Even if we win the next two, I still want him gone by Christmas.
• United fans have been living this life for years.
• Salah’s a legend, but maybe it’s time for both him and the manager to move on.
• Squad construction is brutal. If Salah’s not in the plans, we have no wingers.
• If Salah’s benched, Wirtz’s numbers go up. He’s leaving for AFCON anyway.
• Wirtz silky, Isak scores — but the team still looks lifeless.
• West Ham are basically Slot’s life support.
• That Isak goal was pure execution. Classic him.
• Salah won’t accept a super-sub role. Selling becomes inevitable.
• Hope this helps the squad find some form.
• Mac Allister wasn’t bad — actually won the ball a few times.
• They’re 17th. This being progress says a lot.
• January has to bring wingers. Enough strikers already.
• Happy with the win. Not happy that it probably saves Slot’s job.
• At least Slot didn’t ignore the obvious today.
• Salah’s going to AFCON anyway. Might as well freeze him out now.
• If they’re not in Slot’s plans, sell them and move on.
• I miss unstoppable Salah. Half the squad feels like rotational ghosts now.
• Saying Wirtz wasn’t needed means you didn’t watch the match.
• Paquetá’s red was embarrassing. Unacceptable.
• “He survived another week” energy. Not exactly something to smile about.

What Remains

What lingers after this match isn’t joy — it’s permission to breathe. Liverpool finally did the basics right: defend properly, take chances, and avoid self-destruction. Isak’s finish, Gakpo’s composure, and a rare clean sheet gave fans something concrete to hold onto after weeks of embarrassment.

But the mood tells its own story. Supporters aren’t fooled. They know West Ham are struggling. They know the football is still stiff. They know Salah on the bench, Slot under pressure, and a poorly balanced squad aren’t issues solved by one result. Still, this win mattered because it bought time — for players to regain confidence, for form to stabilize, and for the bleeding to stop.

For now, that’s enough. Not hope. Not belief. Just survival — and after the last few weeks, even that feels like progress.

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