Is this what a league victory feels like?
While virtually every Liverpool match lately has been labeled a “must-win” given their dreadful run of form, many viewed Sunday's clash against West Ham United as especially crucial— a result that could determine whether Arne Slot’s job remained safe.
As such, the manager rolled out a more defensive-minded lineup, dropping Mohamed Salah and deploying veteran CB Joe Gomez at fullback.
The adjustment paid off: the Reds secured a massive 2–0 win, not only keeping a clean sheet but holding West Ham without a single shot on target.
The crucial three points at London Stadium also lifted the Reds from 12th to eighth place, and with the table as congested as it is, building on this result could quickly put them back in contention for the top four.
So, how did Liverpool players rate individually in the morale-boosting win?
Starting XI:
Alisson Becker- 7/10: Liverpool could have put a scarecrow in net and still kept a clean sheet, but Alisson still dealt smartly with what little danger arose. He darted off his line to cut out crosses and calm the backline when needed. It was reassuring to see, especially with the Brazilian still working his way back to full fitness.
Virgil van Dijk- 7/10: The captain wasn’t heavily involved but he handled what came his way with professionalism, especially in aerial duels. Liverpool didn’t win many corners on the day, yet for all of VVD’s struggles this season, it’s been remarkable to see his magnetism on set pieces. He found space again today and continues to look increasingly dangerous in those situations.
Ibrahima Konaté- 7.5/10: Perhaps recent reports that Real Madrid are no longer pursuing Ibou snapped his focus back into place, because the Frenchman delivered one of his best performances in recent memory. Konaté looked completely assured in 1v1 situations and stepped in to snuff out several dangerous balls with authority. Hopefully this was a statement performance and a sign that he’s fully committed to his future at the club.
Milos Kerkez- 7/10: An unflashy yet steady performance from the Hungarian — which might be exactly what he needed given how erratic he has been at times. One of his biggest weaknesses this season has been defending set pieces, but he played his part in a backline that repelled West Ham’s seven corners all afternoon.
Joe Gomez- 8.5/10: What a pleasant surprise of a performance. Joe had his fingerprints all over this match. The veteran’s experience allowed him to deputize confidently in an unnatural role, and he provided quality service on several occasions. It felt odd seeing him handle responsibilities that were routinely executed by Salah last season, yet he did exactly what was asked of him and more. Capped the display with a well-earned assist, his first since the 2023-24 season.
Alexis Mac Allister- 6.5/10: Not much to write about the No. 10 today. It was clear Slot wanted the attacking burden to fall on the front three rather than the midfield, and as a result, Mac Allister was never heavily involved.
Ryan Gravenberch- 6.5/10: The same for Mac Allister applies to Gravenberch as he wasn’t heavily involved, but he did his job. The defensive-minded midfielder didn’t see much of the ball, yet he contributed to a disciplined team shape and helped secure the clean sheet.
Dominik Szoboslai- 7/10: A relatively pedestrian performance after a string of games as the team’s standout player. I had recently asked more of his teammates, so it was refreshing to see Szobo not forced to carry the load as he has of late. He wasn’t heavily involved on the ball, but he still displayed his relentless pressing. The Hungarian drew a foul from Lucas Paquetá, which hilariously led to a double yellow for dissent and helped open the space for Liverpool’s second goal.
Florian Wirtz- 8.5/10: What a fantastic performance from the German. It’s downright baffling that he still doesn’t have a league goal or assist, as he stepped into Salah’s position and created four big chances while completing 12 successful dribbles. His substitution was puzzling given how well he was playing, and the attack noticeably stalled without him. A goal contribution has to be just around the corner.
Gody Gakpo- 8.5/10: Recent questions had been raised about Slot’s insistence on including his compatriot in the starting XI, and Cody answered them emphatically with his second goal-plus-assist game of the season, earning well-deserved Man of the Match recognition in my eyes. He wasn’t consistently brilliant against the Hammers, but in a game where a win was essential, his contributions were what mattered most. It was highly encouraging to see the front three perform so effectively together.
Alexander Isak- 8/10: Liverpool fans finally got the moment they had been eagerly awaiting since signing the Swede, as his excellent first-time finish from a Gakpo feed gave the Reds their opening goal of the game — and marked his first Premier League tally for the club. He could feasibly have secured a brace after an acrobatic attempt in the first half was saved by Areola. While it would be great to see him more involved in link-up play, given his minimal passing output, it’s hard to complain about him netting his first league goal. He looked to still be building toward full 90-minute fitness after coming off in the 68th minute.
Substitues:
Hugo Ekiteke- 6/10: It seemed the game plan late on was to preserve the lead, which limited Ekitike’s involvement after he was introduced. He did fire off a decent shot in the 75th minute, but it’s hardly his fault that he didn’t make a bigger impact — maintaining the clean sheet was clearly priority number one. With Isak seemingly turning the corner in form and fitness, would love to see the pair play alongside each other soon.
Curtis Jones- 6/10: Like Hugo, he didn’t do much with the minutes he was given, but his services weren’t really needed as the starters delivered a much-needed quality performance.
Andrew Robertson- N/A: Felt like an afterthought when brought on amid the Paquetá fiasco in the 87th minute, but he did help the backline see the shutout through.