A another victory for Liverpool in London, Arsenal’s and Wengers Goodison Park humiliation.
West Ham 1 Liverpool 2:Liverpool walk to 23 years dream
Steven Gerrard capped a hugely disciplined performance with two clinically-taken penalties to take Brendan Rodgers’ side back to the top of the table. That is nine straight wins for Liverpool. Five more and they will be champions.
Liverpool were also able to overcome a massive blunder from referee Anthony Taylor, who allowed West Ham’s equaliser just before half-time to stand despite Andy Carroll clearly smacking Simon Mignolet in the head and dragging the goalkeeper’s arm down as he caught Mark Noble’s corner. Mignolet dropped the ball straight to Guy Demel, who poked it into the net.
It looked like Carroll was not going to get away with his cavalier approach when linesman Stuart Burt vigorously flagged to get Taylor’s attention. Referee and assistant chatted. Luis Suarez screamed at Taylor to look at the big screen as a replay of the incident was shown. Taylor chose not to. More chat. The goal stood.
Liverpool furious. The fact that Taylor comes from the Manchester suburb of Wythenshawe probably did nothing to ease Scouse tempers.
Just two minutes earlier Taylor had enraged the home fans with his decision to give Liverpool their first penalty, which was harsh as penalties do not come more cast iron.
Suarez flicked the ball past James Tomkins and the West Ham defender not only moved ball to hand but also had a good feel of it.
Just before Gerrard stepped up to take it the giant scoreboards flashed up Gerrard’s penalty map, showing where his kicks have gone: score, score, score, miss. If Adrian looked at the screen, it did him no good. He went right, Gerrard went the other way.
So after 45 minutes all square. Rodgers chose to sacrifice Philippe Coutinho for Lucas to try to get control of central midfield, his front three of Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling not getting as much service as he or they would have liked.
West Ham, booed off after beating Hull in their last home game, had the fans behind them as they pushed Liverpool back. Carroll came within inches of putting them in front in the 61st minute when he headed Mohamed Diame’s cross onto the bar.
Liverpool responded by dominating possession and in the 71st minute got the opening they craved. Lucas played in Jon Flanagan down the left flank as he sped past the dozing Demel. Adrian charged out, got a hand to the ball but also a fair chunk of the Liverpool full-back’s shins.
Another penalty. Another round of boos from the West Ham fans.
Gerrard endured mind games from West Ham players and Adrian even pointing to where he wanted him to place the kick. Gerrard obliged, with pace and precision in the corner for his 11th penalty of the season, and his 173rd goal for Liverpool, which took him one ahead of Kenny Dalglish, who cheered from the stands.
This was not Liverpool’s finest performance of the season but it was a hugely professional one. Rodgers wryly noted afterwards that the pitch had not been watered as West Ham sought to gain any advantage they could over their slick moving opponents.
West Ham have 37 points and barring a bizarre set of results from the teams beneath them, are safe. They gave Liverpool a few scares but did not have enough to halt the title charge.
Suarez was not at his best but still hit the crossbar twice, first with a curling shot after a swivel-hipped move to create space, second with a nonchalant flick of the outside of his right boot.
Sturridge had several shots with all but one flying high or wide. Sterling worked hard and brought a great save from Adrian late on. They have now got 90 goals for the season and the century will not be too far away.
Next weekend is the match with “title decider” stamped all over it as Manchester City visit Anfield. Rodgers, basking in another victory, promised his side would approach the game with both confidence and freedom. So they should.
West Ham vs Liverpool Match Stats
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Adrian 5.5, Demel 6.5, Reid 7, Tomkins 7, Armero 6, Noble 6.5, Taylor 6 (Jarvis 78), Diame 6.5 (Cole 85), Nolan 5 (Nocerino 68, 5), Downing 5, Carroll 6.5.
Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, C Cole, J Cole, Potts, Johnson.
Booked: Tomkins, Adrian, Nocerino, Armero.
Goals: Demel 45.
Manager: Sam Allardyce 6.5
Liverpool: Mignolet 7, Johnson 6, Skrtel 7, Sakho 6, Flanagan 6, Henderson 6.5, Gerrard 8, Coutinho 5 (Lucas 45, 7), Suarez 7, Sterling 6, Sturridge 5.5 (Toure 85).
Subs not used: Jones, Toure, Cissokho, Moses, Allen, Aspas.
Goals: Gerrard (pen) 44, (pen) 71.
Manager: Brendan Rodgers 7
Ref: Anthony Taylor 6
Att: 34,977
Man of the match: Gerrard
West Ham 1 Liverpool 2 Match Video
[media id=1061 width=610 height=340]Everton 3 Arsenal 0 :Is not enough humiliation yet Arsene Wenger ?
Everton scented blood from the off however they were forced into an early change as Leon Osman was substituted after he cut his face during a thunderous challenge on Bacary Sagna.
The Toffees zipped the ball around with pace and they opened the scoring through Steven Naismith after 14 minutes.
Leighton Baines dissected the Gunners defence with an exquisite pass into Romelu Lukaku’s path and after Wojciech Szczesny repelled his effort with his legs, Naismith was quickest at the scene and he calmly rolled the ball into the net.
Lukaku doubled Everton’s advantage in the 34th minute when he picked up the ball wide on the right and drove past Nacho Monreal before he spun past Thomas Vermaelen and then flashed an unstoppable shot past Szczesny.
Arsenal were short on ideas but nearly reduced the deficit five minutes before the interval when Lukas Podolski smashed a shot into the ground that forced Tim Howard to tip over.
Everton rounded off the scoring in the 62nd minute when Naismith’s shot rebounded out to Kevin Mirallas but Arteta got the final touch to divert the ball into his own net.
Everton remain in fifth spot, one point behind the Gunners but with a game in hand.
Everton moved to within a point of fourth-placed Arsenal after manager Roberto Martinez’s tactical tweaks saw goals from Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku and Mikel Arteta put into his own net for a 3-0 win at Goodison Park that changed the momentum in the chase to join Europe’s elite.
Martinez’s side boast a game in hand on their rivals and Wenger admitted his hopes of qualifying for the Champions League for the 17th successive season were now engulfed in doubt as he questioned his players’ tenacity.
“Was there a lack of fight? You could say that. It is a massive worry to lose a game like that,” said the Arsenal manager.
“We have to analyse it well and come back with a different attitude, with more personality and stronger challenges. We have to go back to basics. Everton were better, sharper and deserved to win.
“It will be difficult to finish in top four but first we have to focus on the quality of our performances.
“I wouldn’t question the spirit of this team but we have lost something on the confidence front. The other big defeats away from home have taken some of the charisma from this team.
“Is that belief? Is it fear? Is it confidence?”
Everton, who now have as many points this season as in the whole of last term (63), made it six straight Premier League victories as they scored more than one goal against Arsenal for the first time in 23 meetings.
“It was one of the signature performances since I have been here at the club,” said goalkeeper Tim Howard. “The fans have waited all season for a blockbuster performance and this was the one.
“We would like to believe we can finish in the top four – we have got to believe that we can.”
Martinez described his side’s display as the perfect performance and said the win could be a “psychological” turning point in the chase for fourth.
“In terms of the satisfaction you can get as a manager, it is as good as you can get,” he said. “The performance was very strong from the first minute to the last.
“To have 63 points is an incredible amount, but we still have 18 points to play for. It was a huge three points from psychological point of view.
“Today was a real good memory for everyone at Everton. Everyone should be very proud.”
Everton vs Arsenal Match Stats
Everton: Howard 6.5, Baines 8, Distin 7, Stones 8, Coleman 7, McCarthy 7.5, Barry 7, Osman 6 (Barkley 10′ – 9), Naismith 6.5 (McGeady 81′), Mirallas 8, Lukaku 8 (Deulofeu 86′)
Subs not used: Robles, Hibbert, Garbutt, Alcaraz
Goals: Naismith, Lukaku, Arteta (OG)
Booked: Osman
Manager: Roberto Martinez 8
Arsenal: Szczesny 6, Sagna 6.5, Mertesacker 6, Vermaelen 6, Monreal 5, Arteta 5.5, Flamini 5.5 (Ramsey 66′ – 6), Rosicky 5.5, Cazorla 5, Podolski 5 (Oxlade-Chamerlain 66′ – 6), Giroud 4.5 (Sanogo 71′ – 6)
Subs not used: Viviano, Jenkinson, Bellerin, Kallstrom
Booked: Arteta, Flamini
Manager: Arsene Wenger 5
Ref: Martin Atkinson 6.5
Attendance: 39,504
Man of the match: Barkley
Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Match Video
[media id=1062 width=610 height=340]English Premier League Match Week 33 Results
Saturday, 5 April
Man City 4 Southampton 1
Norwich City 0 West Brom 1
Cardiff City 0 Crystal Palace 3
Aston Villa 1 Fulham 2
Hull City 1 Swansea City 0
Newcastle 0 Man United 4
Chelsea 3 Stoke City 0
Sunday, 6 April
Everton 3 Arsenal 0
West Ham 1 Liverpool 2
Monday, 7 April
Tottenham 20:00 Sunderland
Barclays Premier League Match Week 33 Table
