West Ham 2-2 Liverpool: Michail Antonio equaliser dents Reds’ title hopes

Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes appear all however over after Michail Antonio scored to rescue some extent for West Ham at London Stadium.

But the guests had been a lot improved within the second half and Andy Robertson equalised when he scored from Luis Diaz’s low cross into the penalty space.

They had been then rewarded for his or her strain when Cody Gakpo’s effort from a nook ricocheted off Angelo Ogbonna, Tomas Soucek and Alphonse Areola earlier than discovering the again of the online.

It seemed like they had been on their technique to bouncing again from back-to-back defeats within the league till Antonio’s thumping header put the Hammers again on stage phrases.

Liverpool sit third within the desk with three video games remaining, two factors behind leaders Arsenal, who face Tottenham on Sunday, whereas Manchester City are second however have two video games in hand.

Liverpool’s title hopes look like all however over, with the Reds counting on each of their title rivals to slide as much as get again within the race.

Liverpool’s season tapering off

With Dutchman Arne Slot poised to replace Jurgen Klopp this summer time after Liverpool agreed a £9.4m compensation cope with his present membership Feyenoord, Klopp instructed his successor can be helped by the Reds’ season “not ending on a excessive”.

Having gained the Carabao Cup in February, the Reds seemed on monitor to battle for a European trophy and stake a robust declare for the Premier League title in Klopp’s final season.

But within the area of about three weeks these hopes have virtually utterly unravelled and this newest consequence certainly denies Klopp the fairytale ending.

Liverpool weren’t at their finest within the first half, regardless of captain Virgil van Dijk’s scathing review of his team-mates’ want following the loss to Everton.

But they emerged from the break extra just like the Klopp facet that followers have come to be aware of, enjoying with extra depth and starvation.

After Robertson shortly obtained his facet on stage phrases, Ryan Gravenberch noticed his effort drop agonisingly vast and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s long-range effort was properly saved by Areola.

A scramble within the West Ham penalty space gave Liverpool the lead, they usually may have been out of sight with Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister going shut earlier than Vladimir Coufal denied Darwin Nunez a easy tap-in.

But, for all their probabilities, Liverpool had been as soon as once more left dissatisfied because the reign of Klopp dangers coming to an finish with a whimper.

Mohamed Salah did not make an impression from the bench after being dropped from the beginning line-up and appeared to conflict with Klopp on the touchline earlier than approaching within the 79th minute as hypothesis across the ahead’s future on the membership continues.

West Ham bounce again with deserved level

West Ham have gained solely one in every of their previous 9 dwelling league video games and suffered a heavy defeat by Crystal Palace final outing, their second consecutive loss.

But the return of Bowen, who missed final week’s match with a again harm, proved essential, with the winger heading dwelling from the center of a crowded space earlier than organising Antonio’s equaliser.

His 16 top-flight targets this season will certainly have elevated his hopes of going to the Euro 2024, with England supervisor Gareth Southgate watching on in London.

West Ham now sit eighth within the desk, with a fourth consecutive season in Europe of their attain.

Despite that success below David Moyes, hypothesis across the Hammers boss has as soon as once more emerged this week, with Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim reportedly in London to debate changing the Scot, though the Portuguese stated on Saturday the talks had been “a mistake”.

Player of the match

BowenJarrod Bowen