EPL: Liverpool hammer West Ham 5-2 to climb table

Liverpool moved into fifth place in the Premier League after a 5-2 victory over West Ham United at Anfield, drawing level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.

Three first-half set-piece goals put the hosts in control before West Ham mounted a brief response after the interval.

Set-piece precision

Liverpool struck early when Hugo Ekitike finished smartly from close range after a pass from Ryan Gravenberch in the fifth minute.

The advantage doubled against the run of play as Virgil van Dijk headed home a corner delivered by Dominik Szoboszlai.

Just before the break, Alexis Mac Allister’s volley took a deflection and found the net to make it 3-0. All three goals came from set-plays.

West Ham had opportunities through Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek but failed to convert.

Visitors rally briefly

Soucek reduced the deficit early in the second half, finishing from a cross by El Hadji Malick Diouf.

However, Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal cushion in the 70th minute with a deflected strike.

Taty Castellanos gave West Ham renewed hope with a second goal, but a cross from Jeremie Frimpong was turned into his own net by Axel Disasi to complete the scoring.

Liverpool’s first five-goal league haul of the campaign lifts them above Chelsea, who face leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

West Ham remain 18th, two points behind Nottingham Forest, as the relegation battle intensifies.