West Ham player ratings vs Liverpool: Antonio frustrated, Benrahma struggles as perfect start to 2021 ends

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Jack Rosser @JackRosser_31 January 2021

West Ham’s perfect start to 2021 was brought to an end by Liverpool and two moments of magic from Mohamed Salah.

Having had to wait until injury time at the end of the first half for a shot on target, the champions made a quicker start after the break.

They would have gone ahead through Salah quickly after the restart were in not for a brilliant last-ditch intervention from Aaron Cresswell, but it didn’t take them too much longer to find the breakthrough.

Curtis Jones, less than a minute after his introduction, drove the visitors forward, exchanged passes with Xherdan Shaqiri before playing in Salah, who checked onto his left and despatched a trademark curling finish into the far corner.

West Ham responded well and could have been level when Andy Robertson almost turned a Michail Antonio corner into his own net. While the Hammers were enjoying perhaps their best spell of the game, however, Liverpool ruthlessly knocked them back. 

Trent-Alexander Arnold sent them flying away after a West Ham corner with a booming diagonal across for Shaqiri. The stocky Swiss raced after the ball and sent a pin-point first time cross into the path of Salah who collected and dinked over Fabianski.

Giorginio Wijnaldum added a third inside the final ten minutes, finishing off a free-flowing move which was aided by a loose touch from Declan Rice.

Craig Dawson slipped his marker at a late corner to score his second goal in as many games and claim a consolation for the Hammers.

Here is how Jack Rosser rated the Hammers...

Lukasz Fabianski 6

Very little he could have done about Salah’s two finishes. The second was pure genius.

Vladimir Coufal 6

Kept Origi and Robertson quiet down Liverpool’s left, could have got forward more.

Craig Dawson 7

Another impressive display at the back from Dawson. Put his body on the line in the first half to prevent Shaqiri from scoring. Good movement for his goal.

Angelo Ogbonna 6

Hard to fault West Ham’s defensive work too much. Solid from Ogbonna but clean sheet taken away by two moments of real quality from Liverpool.

Aaron Cresswell 6

Very good battle with Salah down the left but wasteful with his crosses in the final third.

Tomas Soucek 6

Battled well in midfield but did not get the chance to get forward and cause trouble against Liverpool’s makeshift central defence.

Declan Rice 6

Did a good job against Thiago in midfield and tried to drive the Hammers forward where possible. Hindered by a yellow card early in the second half.

Jarrod Bowen 6

Did well helping out Coufal behind him but really struggled to get past Robertson and Henderson going forward.

Said Benrahma 5

A couple of impressive flashy moments but struggled to deliver at crucial moments on the break.

Pablo Fornals 5

Another big shift defensively but couldn’t get in behind Alexander-Arnold and balls through for Antonio were often too wayward.

Michail Antonio 5

Cut a frustrated figure throughout. Battled well with little service but skewed West Ham’s best chance of the game wide before Salah’s opener.

Substitutes

Andriy Yarmolenko 6

Brought a bit of energy just after his introduction but Hammers were knocked by Liverpool’s second shortly after.

Mark Noble n/a

Ryan Fredericks n/a

Subs not used: Balbuena, Lanzini, Diop, Martin, Johnson, Odubeko

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