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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: West Ham v Liverpool, Premier League

Liverpool took on West Ham in another vital game, as the title race approaches its climax.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail paul@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_iepost a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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West Ham 1-2 Liverpool

Everton 3-0 Arsenal (FT)

Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.

Liverpool have made one change, with Mamadou Sakho coming in for Daniel Agger, while West Ham also make one alteration, with Pablo Armero slotting in at full-back.

WEST HAM: Adrian, Reid, Nolan, Tomkins, Armero, Carroll, Taylor, Noble, Demel, Diame, Downing.

LIVERPOOL: Mignolet, Johnson, Flanagan, Sakho, Skrtel, Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho, Sterling, Suarez, Sturridge.

It’s currently Everton 3-0 Arsenal in the dying stages.

Can Liverpool emulate their Merseyside rivals with a convincing performance at Upton Park?

There have been some entertaining games between these sides over the years, particularly the 2006 FA Cup final.

Liverpool fans will be hoping today won’t be quite so nerve-racking.

Victor Chai / YouTube

We’re underway!

First attempt on goal for Liverpool.

Suarez takes a free kick from about 30 yards out but curls it just over.

Chance for West Ham!

Diame crosses it into the danger area and Glen Johnson gets to the header just ahead of Carroll.

Sterling flashes a shot across the box, but it deflects comfortably into Adrian’s arms.

As is typical with Liverpool matches right now, it’s been a lively start to this game.

 

Soccer - Barclays Premier League - West Ham United v Liverpool - Upton Park EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

A fan holds a cardboard sign which reads ‘ticket wanted’ outside Upton Park before the match.

The Liverpool defence look shaky enough when West Ham attack.

Nolan and Carroll almost linked up well following a long ball played in their vicinity.

Suarez has just hit the bar from a wide position.

With most players, it might be assumed that they were attempting a cross in that instance, but given that it was Suarez, he probably meant it.

Liverpool break swiftly following a West Ham corner.

Suarez plays through Sturridge, but his shot from a difficult angle is relatively tame.

West Ham look relatively solid at the moment and have even had a few half chances themselves.

Moreover, the crowd are very much up for it, so this looks like it’ll be a serious test of Liverpool’s title credentials today.

Coutinho sets up Suarez, but Tomkins does well to divert the striker’s shot away from goal with his head.

Liverpool are playing their customary counter-attacking style.

JS

Carroll continues to cause his former club problems, as he wins a free kick on the edge of the area.

Noble then curls the subsequent free kick just wide.

A cross falls to Daniel Sturridge, but he widely blasts his shot wide.

Liverpool have had seven attempts so far, but only one has been on target.

Diame flicks the ball past his marker beautifully, and his subsequent cross narrowly evades Nolan.

Liverpool really look under the cosh at the moment.

PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!

GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL!

Liverpool 1-0 West Ham: They haven’t been at their best, but they’re in the lead now.

Suarez tries to take the ball past Tomkins, and defender commits a blatant handball.

Gerrard then slots it away coolly.

GOAL FOR WEST HAM!

West Ham 1-1 Liverpool: Demel taps home after Mignolet drops the ball (45 mins).

It’s a highly controversial goal, with the official and the linesman debating the incident.

Replays reveal that Carroll clearly put his hand across the goalkeeper’s face, so Liverpool will feel hard done by there.

HALF-TIME: WEST HAM 1-1 LIVERPOOL

So at half-time, the scoreline is probably a fair reflection of how even the game has been.

That said, it’s hard to understand why, after a long debate, the referee and the linesman decided Demel’s goal was legitimate, as there was a clear infringement from Carroll in the build-up to it.

The second half has begun…

West Ham immediately win a corner and get another chance to test Mignolet. Liverpool deal with it relatively comfortably this time.

Meanwhile, Lucas replaced Coutinho at half-time, as the visitors look to get a grip on midfield.

Liverpool appear to be playing a diamond formation now — the strategy that was so successfully employed in their recent 3-0 win over United at Old Trafford.

Doesn’t appear to have made too much difference as of yet though.

MC

Soccer - Barclays Premier League - West Ham United v Liverpool - Upton Park PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

West Ham United’s James Tomkins (right) handles the ball in the penalty area as Liverpool’s Luis Suarez appeals to the referee.

Liverpool are beginning to get the upperhand in this game.

They’re pinning West Ham back into their own half, with the hosts unwisely giving Gerrard plenty of time on the ball.

But as I type, Carroll hits the bar with a powerful header to remind the visitors of their opponents’ attacking threat.

Danny Baker

Sturridge drives the ball just over the bar when bursting towards goal..

He had options to his right there and might be better off squaring the ball.

PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!

GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL!

Liverpool 2-1 West Ham: It was a debatable decision as Flanagan ostensibly trips over Adrian having been played through on goal.

Gerrard, as ever, consummately slots the ball into the corner of the net from the ensuing penalty (70 mins).

Eoin Butler

Matt Jarvis has come on in place of Matt Taylor for West Ham.

It looks set to be a nervy final ten minutes for Liverpool.

Sturridge finds himself in space, but he half-volleys straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.

The West Ham defence have done well to keep Liverpool’s strike force relatively quiet today.

Superb effort from Suarez. He strikes the ball exquisitely with the outside of his boot, and is unfortunately denied by the cross bar.

Meanwhile, Kolo Toure has replaced Sturridge, as Liverpool look to adopt a more defensive approach, while West Ham are now playing 4-4-2.

Suarez is played through, but Adrian gets down well to save his sliding effort.

Liverpool are looking increasingly dangerous on the counter-attack.

Great cross from Jarvis is well defended by Toure. The loose ball then falls to Downing, but he blasts his shot well over.

Four minutes of stoppage time will be played.

Good attempt by Sterling on the break forces Adrian to parry the ball away.

Suarez then goes to retrieve the ball for the throw-in in a conspicuously slovenly fashion.

FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 2-1 WEST HAM

Right, that’s all from me for now, but we’ll have more reaction on the site shortly.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

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