Good afternoon and welcome along to our live coverage of the Premier League clash between West Ham United and Liverpool from the London Stadium.
Kick-off is at 2.15pm and we’ll have all the build-up between now and then right here.
The team news is in.
Both Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana start for Liverpool but Roberto Firmino is out with a muscle problem.
Slaven Bilic, meanwhile, has made two changes with Fernandes and Nordtveit joining Ayew and Calleri in attack.
Perfect afternoon for football in London and the atmosphere is building nicely.
This is the second of three Premier League games today, with the early kick-off between Crystal Palace and Hull just heading towards full-time.
The hosts lead 3-0 in that one, a result which will secure Palace’s top-flight status while sending Hull straight back down to the Championship.
- Crystal Palace 3-0 Hull L
- West Ham v Liverpool, 2.15pm
- Tottenham v Man United, 4.30pm
So after Arsenal’s win at Stoke yesterday, Liverpool are nervously looking over their shoulders again. Just a point separates the sides but the Reds are in the driving seat and they know victory in their final two games will assure them of a top-four finish.
Arsenal host Sunderland and Everton in their final two fixtures, with Jurgen Klopp’s men at West Ham today and finishing their season at home to Middlesbrough.
Full time at Selhurst Park and Crystal Palace have beaten Hull City 4-0, who are now heading straight back down to the Championship.
Full report to follow.
The teams are out on the pitch and we’re all set for kick off. Which way do you see this one going?
Before we get underway, here’s a quick reminder of the starting XIs:
West Ham: Adrian; Fonte, Reid, Collins; Byram, Nordtveit, Fernandes, Cresswell; Lanzini, Ayew; Calleri.
Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Matip, Milner, Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Coutinho, Origi, Sturridge.
Kick off! And we’re away at the London Stadium.
Chance! Byram finds space out on the right but his low drive goes just wide of Mignolet’s far post. It had been a fairly uneventful start up until that point.
Close! Joel Matip should score. He finds himself completely free from Coutinho’s corner but heads it into the ground and up onto the bar.
And at the other end, Mignolet is forced into action. Fernandes strikes one from distance and the Liverpool ‘keeper appears to see it late and has to make a smart stop to parry behind.
Coutinho the latest player to try his luck from range but Adrian is equal to the task. Both sides have now had three attempts on goal in the opening 15 minutes.
Liverpool enjoying the better of it so far but West Ham’s fullbacks are causing the visitors problems with Byram and Cresswell getting forward at every opportunity.
Milner presses and wins the ball back, allowing Coutinho to run at the West Ham defence and manufacture a yard of space for the shot. He lets fly with that sweet right foot but sees his dipping effort whistle just over Adrian’s bar.
Not a lot going on at the London Stadium. West Ham’s tactic of playing with a back three and two wing-backs has really paid dividends in recent weeks and the hosts look tight defensively, with the likes of Coutinho and Lallana struggling to find too much space between the lines.
You can hear Klopp barking out the orders from his technical area as we head towards the half hour mark.
Just as we say that, Reid gifts possession to Sturridge and the striker holds it up before feeding Coutinho. The Brazilian opts to strike it first time but James Collins gets in the way and the chance is gone.
GOAL! West Ham 0-1 Liverpool (Sturridge)
What a huge goal for Liverpool. Coutinho collects the ball deep and he plays an exquisite ball through the heart of the West Ham for Sturridge to latch onto, round the goalkeeper and slot home.
Awful defending from Fonte on that occasion, but a brilliant ball from Coutinho and Sturridge did the rest.
Liverpool controlling proceedings now with West Ham offering very little and the crowd inside the London Stadium not doing a whole lot to lift their side.
Chance! Oh my word, how does Ayew miss!? Liverpool are all over the place from a corner and it falls for Ayew at the back post but somehow he hits the post from two yards out with the goal at his mercy. The ball then rebounds to him and his second effort strikes the woodwork too, before Mignolet gratefully dives on the loose ball.
As we head into two minutes of injury time, Collins rises highest but his header is straight at the Liverpool ‘keeper. It has been much better from West Ham in the last few minutes.
Half-time! West Ham 0-1 Liverpool
Daniel Sturridge is back in the team and back on the scoresheet and it’s his goal which has given Liverpool a crucial lead at half-time. West Ham should really be level but the Reds hold the advantage at the interval.
Kick off! We’re back underway at the London Stadium.
Close! Liverpool have come out of the traps quickly as they push for a second. Adrian is forced to make three saves in quick succession as Wijnaldum, Origi and Lallana all have efforts on goal.
West Ham are really on the back foot as Liverpool continue to dominate and Bilic looks like he’s going to take action.
Calleri is making way for Feghouli and Ashley Fletcher is on for Jose Fonte. Not only a change in personnel for the Hammers but it looks like a change in formation too.
GOAL! West Ham 0-2 Liverpool (Coutinho)
The Brazilian strikes and Liverpool are heading towards three huge points. Wijnaldum crashes one off the bar but Coutinho picks up the loose ball and drives it low past Adrian.
Long way back for West Ham now but Feghouli attempts to claw one back but his long-range effort deflects off a Liverpool shirt and behind.
GOAL! West Ham 0-3 Liverpool (Coutinho)
Game, set and match. Liverpool break from the corner with Coutinho starting and finishing the move. He skips past Collins and powers it into the net from close range — but West Ham are not happy as they were convinced Wijnaldum had handled in the area at the other end.
West Ham and Bilic are incensed and they certainly have an argument with replays showing the ball clearly coming off the arm of Wijnaldum from the previous corner. From there, Liverpool broke and just 21 seconds later had the ball in the back of Adrian’s net.
Off the bar! For the third time this afternoon, Adrian’s woodwork has been rattled as Origi’s drive strikes the bar.
What a player!
15 minutes to go at the London Stadium and not a lot happening with the game over as a contest.
GOAL! West Ham 0-4 Liverpool (Origi)
Sturridge stands Cresswell up and shows a great burst of acceleration to get to the byline and cut it back. Lallana is initially denied but it falls to Origi to side foot into the empty net.
Liverpool are strolling to three huge points and are doing so in style. They look hungry for more too.
West Ham have been all over the place defensively but Liverpool have taken their chances.
Out of nothing, Snodgrass comes close to pulling one back but his volley sails just wide of the top corner.
Lucas is coming on for Daniel Sturridge, who receives a good ovation from the section of Liverpool fans. Four minutes plus injury time remaining.
Two minutes of injury time to be played.
Full-time! West Ham 0-4 Liverpool
That’s now four straight away wins for Liverpool and Klopp’s men know victory at home to Middlesbrough on the final day of the season will assure them of Champions League football.
That’s all from the London Stadium, thanks for joining us this afternoon as Liverpool got the job done and in some style too.
Remember, live coverage of Tottenham’s clash with Man United with Ben Blake is right here.
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