Liverpool close gap on Manchester City after edging past West Ham

Sadio Mane scored the goal which saw Liverpool beat West Ham 1-0 but defender Trent Alexander-Arnold was the architect of a victory which reduced Manchester City’s gap at the top to three points.

The England right-back was the visitors’ tormentor-in-chief as his varied passing range in the attacking third was coupled with a brilliant goalline clearance to secure a ninth clean sheet in 13 appearances.

It meant West Ham’s former Everton boss David Moyes left Anfield without a win for the 18th time, a Premier League record for one manager at a single ground.

That was mainly down to the excellence of Alexander-Arnold, who with the pass for Mane’s 27th-minute goal equalled Steven Gerrard’s record of 16 assists in a single season and beat his own previous best from 2018-19 and 2019-20.

It was not the only time he cut through the visitors’ defence but equally important was his athletic effort to hook clear Pablo Fornals’ dinked effort over goalkeeper Alisson Becker just yards before it crossed the line.

Jurgen Klopp had restored his strongest team, with eight changes from the midweek FA Cup win over Norwich, to face a West Ham side weakened by the absence of England midfielder Declan Rice through illness.

Liverpool should have been ahead after just 68 seconds when Alexander-Arnold sent Mohamed Salah racing through and only the right knee of goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski prevented an opening goal.

Salah was also off-target again after Luis Diaz’s effort was blocked by Craig Dawson before Alisson was tested twice by Michail Antonio, the first a fierce effort which had to be tipped over, either side of a low Tomas Soucek shot.

Then came the breakthrough for the hosts, with Mane’s close-range finish from Alexander-Arnold’s low cross