Same result as the weekend for Liverpool, just none of the aggravation.
While Sunday’s one goal win over their great modern rivals Manchester City was born of the fire and the fury of a desperate Anfield, this was a result altogether more calmly earned.
No need for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to grow particularly agitated here either. His team were simply better than a West Ham side largely devoid of ambition. Sometimes, that’s all it takes.
Darwin Nunez scored a header in the 22nd minute to help Liverpool edge out a narrow 1-0 victory against West Ham at Anfield
The Uruguayan striker climbed highest to meet Kostas Tsimikas’ cross and powered his header past Lukasz Fabianski
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson saved a penalty from Jarrod Bowen late in the first half and with his legs from Tomas Soucek at the end of the second. Apart from that, it was Liverpool hunting the goals.
The one they scored, after 22 minutes, was a lovely one and a landmark first Anfield strike for young forward Darwin Nunez. A header from a left wing cross, it was a number nine’s goal on a night when the 23-year-old really looked like one. Nunez struck a post with a howitzer strike later in the half and carried a threat for the hour that he played.
There were other chances for Liverpool and they should have taken a couple. West Ham worried them a little at the end. But with a trip to Nottingham Forest to come on Saturday, Klopp and his players have an opportunity to properly make good the spiritual lift of their win over City.
Momentum. That is what this was all about. Sunday’s win over City was dramatic and it was earned on a visceral occasion that has spilled over in to some nonsense subsequently. But, dramatic as it was, it would have meant very little had it not been followed by another victory here.
Having started the season so poorly, Klopp’s team now have an opportunity to build. Given the injuries that have afflicted Klopp’s squad – forwards Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz will not play for a while – it would be a realistic aim now for Liverpool to simply be in touch with the top four by the time we break for the World Cup in a month’s time.
Given where they were after defeat at Arsenal a week and a half ago, that would represent progress. Liverpool would have a platform. And for that to be the case, there will have to be more days like this. Liverpool were not spectacular nor were they ruthless. But they were better than West Ham all the same.
Nunez’s goal was lovely. The three best Liverpool players on the night were Roberto Firmino – playing as a number ten – Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara. And the latter pair combined to feed Kostas Tsimikas midway through the first half and when his cross arrived it found Nunez easing between defenders to head down and across Lukasz Fabianski and in to the corner.
Liverpool’s summer signing nearly doubled his goal tally in the 39th minute with a powerful left-footed volley on to the post
Jarrod Bowen missed his penalty just before half-time as Alisson guessed correctly and managed to parry the ball to safety
Nunez threatened on two other first half occasions. An early volley from 18 yards was touched over while another cannonball shot struck the post in the 40th minute. There had been other Liverpool half chances at that stage – Mo Salah was once more looking dangerous – and absolutely nothing from West Ham.
But when Joe Gomez jumped clumsily into Jarrod Bowen, referee Stuart Attwell rightly awarded a penalty after a look at the VAR monitor. Bowen took the kick himself but telegraphed it, rather. Alisson dived to his right in front of the Kop and saved with both hands.
Liverpool needed to make West Ham pay for that but couldn’t quite do it. Klopp used all five substitutes in the second half – the fixture schedule is heavy at the moment – and continued to create chances. Henderson fed Firmino from wide but Aaron Cresswell blocked.
Then a Firmino header was saved, substitute Curtis Jones spooned a chance over and West Ham defender Kurt Zouma somehow diverted yet another Henderson delivery over his own crossbar.
We have seen scripts like this before in the Premier League. Teams that don’t quite put the lid on a victory can get caught out at the end.
Tomas Soucek (L) had a great late chance to level the score but James Milner squandered the danger with an excellent block
Jurgen Klopp’s side climbed to seventh in the league just four points off the top four while West Ham remained stuck in 13th
It should have happened here, to be honest. West Ham didn’t deserve a goal but they should have scored one nevertheless.
As Henderson dallied over the possession on his own six-yard line with three minutes left, Bowen saw his chance to make amends for his earlier mistake.
Few players work harder for his team and his slipped pass inside to Soucek seemed set to ruin Liverpool’s night. But Alisson, spreading himself more in hope than anticipation, managed to make contact with the ball via his thigh and it ran to safety.
At full-time, Klopp was on the pitch. Smile wide as the Mersey. But even his celebrations lacked some of their usual vigour. This has been a big week even by his standards. A pair of 1-0 victories do not remotely tell the story.
Follow all the build-up and coverage on Sportsmail’s live blog for Premier League clash between Liverpool and West Ham, written by Ben Willcocks.