Liverpool 3-2 West Ham: Mane scores winner as Reds forced to come from behind

Sadio Mane scored the winner with less than 10 minutes of normal time remaining

Liverpool survived a rare night of struggle in this stellar season to overcome West Ham United and close to within four wins of the Premier League title as keeper Lukasz Fabianski suffered an Anfield nightmare.

Victory means Liverpool equal the English league record of 18 successive wins, set by Manchester City from August to December 2017, with Jurgen Klopp's side last dropping points in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in October.

The Hammers - whose fans staged protests against the club's owners throughout - threatened to inflict Liverpool's first league defeat this term when they led midway through the second half.

Liverpool took an early lead when Fabianski failed to deal with a routine Georginio Wijnaldum header but David Moyes' side showed great character to hit back through Issa Diop's header, which should also have been kept out by Alisson.

And when substitute Pablo Fornals swept West Ham into the lead nine minutes after the break Liverpool were faced with a fight to preserve their unbeaten 27-match league run.

It had been a poor display by their sky-high standards but their luck was in as Fabianski was the culprit again, inexplicably allowing Mohamed Salah's shot to squirm through his legs in the 68th minute.

There was a sense of inevitability as Liverpool went for victory and so it proved as Sadio Mane turned in with nine minutes left after Trent Alexander-Arnold lofted the ball over Fabianski.

It was cruel on West Ham and Moyes, with Liverpool keeper Alisson having to produce a crucial late block from substitute Jarrod Bowen.

Liverpool have restored their 22-point lead at the top and the Hammers are left in the bottom three.

Relive Liverpool's victory over West Ham

Liverpool find a way again

Liverpool have produced months of thrilling football but this inevitable title triumph has also been about winning with narrow margins when just short of their their best.

The champions-elect were a long way short of that here and the decisive moment in this match was when Fabianski, who has been a reliable figure for West Ham, compounded his error for Wijnaldum's goal with a horror moment as Salah's shot slipped through his legs and into the net in front of an exultant Kop.

Liverpool missed the driving force and leadership of injured captain Jordan Henderson and it was no surprise when Naby Keita was substituted after a poor performance.

The great quality of this Liverpool side, and make no mistake they got lucky with Fabianski's howlers, is that they are currently driven by an unshakeable self-belief and the error for Salah's goal tipped the balance firmly in their favour.

It is a truly remarkable effort to have dropped only two points after 27 games and Liverpool will happily grab moments of good fortune when they can.

Liverpool's celebrations were subdued at the final whistle, perhaps an acknowledgement of an average display - but this will not matter when in due course they are crowned champions for the first time in 30 years.

West Ham can take heart

West Ham scored two goals against Liverpool for the first time since a 2-2 draw at Anfield on 11 December 2016

Moyes must feel Anfield holds him in a curse - he has never won at Anfield in 16 attempts as a manager with Everton, Manchester United, Sunderland or West Ham.

The Scot's joyous celebrations when Fornals gave West Ham the lead at a time his side were performing with real heart must have had him believing the drought might be over until things took a nasty twist with that Fabianski error.

West Ham's fans came here to protest against their owners, with black balloons let off and a series of banners unfurled reading "Karren Brady - You're Fired. "Sullivan This Charmless Man." "Run Like A Circus Owned By Clowns" and "State Of The Art Retractable Promises."

If there was discontent off the field, they will have been pleased with what they saw on it as West Ham ran Liverpool as close as just about anyone at Anfield this season.

Moyes still faces an uphill struggle but he can at least take some encouragement from West Ham's display once the bitter taste of defeat has eased.

A bad record for Moyes - the best of the stats

West Ham manager David Moyes remains without an away win against Liverpool in all competitions, failing in 16 attempts (D7, L9) and losing the last four in a row with Man Utd, Sunderland and West Ham. Liverpool have won their last 21 home Premier League games, equalling the English top-flight record for consecutive home wins, set by the Reds themselves between January and December 1972 under Bill Shankly. They have scored 14 headed goals in the Premier League this season, more than any other side. Only Cesc Fabregas (20y 134d) and Wayne Rooney (21y 63d) have reached 25 Premier League assists at a younger age than Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold (21y 140d). Since making his debut for West Ham in February 2017, Robert Snodgrass has registered 12 assists in the Premier League for the Hammers, more than any other player. Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in eight goals in six Premier League appearances against West Ham (6 goals, 2 assists). Since his Premier League debut in August 2014, Liverpool's Andrew Robertson has registered 27 assists in the competition, more than any other defender in that time. Sadio Mane has been directly involved in eight goals in his last six Premier League appearances against West Ham (5 goals, 3 assists), scoring in each of his last four against the Hammers.

Man of the Match - Trent Alexander-Arnold

Trent Alexander-Arnold has provided 25 Premier League assists, the joint-most by a Liverpool defender in the competition along with Stig Inge BjornebyeWhat's next?

Liverpool are on course to win the title at home to Crystal Palace if they and second-placed Manchester City don't drop points

Liverpool travel to Watford on Saturday, 29 February (17:30 GMT kick-off), while West Ham host Southampton on the same day (15:00 GMT kick-off).

Line-ups Match Stats Live Text

Line-ups

Liverpool

1Alisson

66Alexander-Arnold

12Gomez

4van Dijk

26Robertson

8KeitaSubstituted forOxlade-Chamberlainat 57'minutes

3Fabinho

5Wijnaldum

11Salah

9Firmino

10ManéSubstituted forMatipat 90+1'minutes

Substitutes

6Lovren

13Adrián

15Oxlade-Chamberlain

18Minamino

20Lallana

27Origi

32Matip

West Ham

1Fabianski

52Ngakia

23DiopBooked at 66mins

21Ogbonna

3Cresswell

41RiceBooked at 51mins

28SoucekSubstituted forFornalsat 47'minutes

11SnodgrassSubstituted forBowenat 84'minutes

16NobleBooked at 80mins

8Felipe AndersonSubstituted forHallerat 65'minutes

30Antonio

Substitutes

4Balbuena

5Zabaleta

10Lanzini

17Bowen

18Fornals

22Haller

35Randolph

Referee:

Jonathan Moss

Attendance:

53,313

Match Stats

Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamWest Ham

Possession

Home70%

Away30%

Shots

Home25

Away7

Shots on Target

Home7

Away4

Corners

Home16

Away8

Fouls

Home4

Away10

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Liverpool 3, West Ham United 2.

Full TimePosted at 90'+6'

Second Half ends, Liverpool 3, West Ham United 2.

Posted at 90'+6'

Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Georginio Wijnaldum.

Posted at 90'+6'

Attempt blocked. Mark Noble (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 90'+5'

Foul by Joel Matip (Liverpool).

Posted at 90'+5'

Michail Antonio (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

SubstitutionPosted at 90'+1'

Substitution, Liverpool. Joel Matip replaces Sadio Mané.

Posted at 89'

Sadio Mané (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Jeremy Ngakia (West Ham United).

Posted at 89'

Attempt missed. Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right following a corner.

Posted at 88'

Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Alisson.

Posted at 88'

Attempt saved. Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Michail Antonio with a through ball.

Posted at 86'

VAR Decision: No Goal Liverpool 3-2 West Ham United.

Posted at 86'

GOAL OVERTURNED BY VAR: Sadio Mané (Liverpool) scores but the goal is ruled out after a VAR review.

Posted at 86'

Offside, Liverpool. Trent Alexander-Arnold tries a through ball, but Sadio Mané is caught offside.

SubstitutionPosted at 84'

Substitution, West Ham United. Jarrod Bowen replaces Robert Snodgrass because of an injury.

Goal!Posted at 81'

Goal! Liverpool 3, West Ham United 2. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Posted at 81'

Attempt blocked. Joseph Gomez (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

BookingPosted at 80'

Mark Noble (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 79'

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Mark Noble (West Ham United).

Posted at 78'

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Angelo Ogbonna.

Posted at 77'

Offside, Liverpool. Georginio Wijnaldum tries a through ball, but Andrew Robertson is caught offside.

Posted at 75'

Attempt saved. Sébastien Haller (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Michail Antonio.

Posted at 74'

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Jeremy Ngakia.

Posted at 74'

Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) hits the left post with a header from very close range following a corner.

Posted at 74'

Attempt saved. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrew Robertson with a cross.

Posted at 73'

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Michail Antonio.

Posted at 73'

Attempt blocked. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fabinho.

Posted at 72'

Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Issa Diop.

Posted at 69'

Offside, West Ham United. Mark Noble tries a through ball, but Jeremy Ngakia is caught offside.

Goal!Posted at 68'

Goal! Liverpool 2, West Ham United 2. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrew Robertson.

BookingPosted at 66'

Issa Diop (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 66'

Sadio Mané (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 66'

Foul by Issa Diop (West Ham United).

Posted at 66'

Foul by Fabinho (Liverpool).

Posted at 66'

Pablo Fornals (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

SubstitutionPosted at 65'

Substitution, West Ham United. Sébastien Haller replaces Felipe Anderson.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).

Posted at 63'

Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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Source: bbc.com