Liverpool beats West Ham, Arne Slot temporarily safe

02/12/2025 07:41:00 esportapi

Liverpool’s 2-0 win over West Ham has temporarily eased Arne Slot’s crisis. The key question is whether the Dutch coach has found the secret to reviving the Reds.

Many saw the trip to West Ham’s London Stadium as a final showdown for Slot’s team. Liverpool’s 9 losses in their last 12 matches across all competitions made Sunday night’s game both a turning point for their season and a critical test for Slot’s pressured position at Anfield.

Salah sidelined, Isak and Wirtz shine

This prompted the Dutch coach to boldly make four personnel changes in a high-pressure situation. The highlight was dropping Mohamed Salah, the brightest star at Anfield, from the starting eleven for the first time since April last year. Although Slot tried to downplay it by citing a congested schedule and tactical reasons, it was clear he was taking a gamble with potentially serious consequences if it failed. Fortunately, benching Salah allowed expensive newcomers like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak to shine.

Isak was the most talked-about figure after the 2-0 win against West Ham, scoring his first Premier League goal this season. Previously, his only mark at Anfield was a goal against Southampton in the League Cup in September. The 26-year-old striker has yet to fully replicate his best form from Newcastle but is ready to be a dependable option in Liverpool’s attack. Besides Isak, Wirtz deserves mention for sparking the opening goal with a precise pass that enabled Gakpo to find Isak inside West Ham’s penalty area. This moment highlighted the German midfielder’s patience and tactical intelligence, qualities Liverpool expected when investing £100 million to sign him from Leverkusen. Activating the Isak-Wirtz partnership weekly is vital for Liverpool to overcome their crisis.

Without Salah, newcomers like Isak and Wirtz performed brilliantly against West Ham.

Are these adjustments enough to revive Liverpool?

Besides benching Salah, Slot also changed personnel at right-back. The Dutch coach was uneasy there due to injuries to both Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley. Slot’s attempt to convert Dominik Szoboszlai from central midfield to right-back didn’t meet expectations. This time, he gave Joe Gomez a chance, a player comfortable at right-back but previously limited in playtime partly because Liverpool needed backup for center-backs Van Dijk and Konate. Gomez’s start against West Ham was his first Premier League appearance in 11 months, and he made an impact by assisting Gakpo’s goal that secured the 2-0 win. This gave Slot a useful indication for the right-back position ahead of the midweek match against Sunderland, as Szoboszlai seemed more comfortable returning to his familiar midfield role. This adjustment helped Liverpool keep a clean sheet for the first time in the Premier League since their 2-0 win over Aston Villa on November 2.

Although Slot passed his initial test in rescuing Liverpool, challenges remain ahead. The next two matches against Premier League newcomers Sunderland at home tomorrow and the trip to Elland Road to face Leeds at the weekend will decide whether the Premier League champions have truly recovered from a two-month slump. Being only three points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa gives hope that Liverpool still has a chance to fight for a top-four finish. Everything hinges on how Slot manages Salah and restructures the defense so that the victory over West Ham is not just a fleeting revival.

Duc Hung

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