In a pivotal Premier League clash at London Stadium, Alexander Isak shattered his scoring drought to propel Liverpool to a crucial 2-0 victory over West Ham United on Sunday. The Swedish international, whose £125 million transfer from Newcastle had previously yielded no league goals, finally found the net in his sixth appearance, marking a turning point for the struggling Reds.
The breakthrough arrived in the 60th minute when Cody Gakpo’s precise cutback found Isak inside the penalty area. The record signing calmly guided a low shot past goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, triggering emotional celebrations after 10 matches without a goal for club and country. Gakpo later secured the points in stoppage time with a clinical 12-yard finish after West Ham’s defensive clearance fell apart.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed palpable relief following the team’s first win in four matches across all competitions. “There’s definitely a feeling of relief because if you have lost so many times, then winning is important,” Slot acknowledged. “We hardly conceded a chance and we were able to create chances ourselves. This is a good first step for us.”
The match began with West Ham paying emotional tribute to legendary captain and manager Billy Bonds, who passed away earlier Sunday at age 79. The hosts initially matched Liverpool’s intensity, with Areola producing a spectacular save to deny Isak’s acrobatic bicycle kick in the first half.
West Ham’s challenges compounded when Lucas Paqueta received two quick yellow cards for dissent in the 84th minute, reducing the home side to 10 men. The Brazilian argued vehemently with referee Darren England following a foul decision and subsequently received his marching orders for failing to disengage from the official.
The victory lifted Liverpool to eighth in the Premier League table, providing respite from their worst run since the 1953-54 season that included nine losses in 12 games. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Premier League, Boubacar Kamara’s superb strike earned Aston Villa a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers that moved them to third place, while Manchester United ended Crystal Palace’s nine-month unbeaten home record with a 2-1 comeback victory.