Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes dash over West Ham draw

Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes were left in tatters after a 2-2 draw with West Ham at London Stadium on Saturday.

Liverpool have won just one of their last five Premier League matches.

After their 2-0 defeat to Everton in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday, the Reds needed a win if they were to realistically keep themselves in the race with Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the table.

But a sluggish first half saw them fall behind as Jarrod Bowen in the 43rd minute nodded home for West Ham from a quick corner.

However, Liverpool were level three minutes after the break when Andy Robertson in the 48th minute turned home.

It was a far better performance from Liverpool in the second half and they deservedly went ahead as Cody Gakpo’s shot pinballed in off Alphonse Areola in the 65th minute.

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But another unmarked header from Michail Antonio in the 77th minute saw West Ham equalise to leave Liverpool two points behind Arsenal and one behind Manchester City, with the two still to play this weekend.

The Hammers move a point behind seventh-placed Newcastle, with the Magpies having played two games more.

Liverpool’s frustrations were also clear in the immediate aftermath of West Ham’s leveller as substitute Mohamed Salah – dropped from the starting XI – appeared to argue with manager Jurgen Klopp as he came on.

While the manager did not elaborate on the cause, he said after the game: “We spoke already in the dressing room. For me, that’s done.”

On the result, Klopp said: “Very disappointed, obviously. I think everyone can see that only one team wins the game, and that is us with the chances we created, with the possession we had, with all the things we did.

“It was a tough one at the end of four games in 10 days period, but I think the players did really well.

“We just conceded out of nothing and need a few more chances and kind of scrappy goals in the end to score twice.

“When we are 2-1 up we could control it, and still as I said in a lot of moments playing really well but the final situation we didn’t take. That has been the story of the last four weeks.”

West Ham travel to London rivals Chelsea on Sunday, May 5, while Liverpool are next in action on the same day against Tottenham at Anfield.

The Star