Liverpool's 5-2 victory over West Ham was a display of clinical finishing and defensive resilience. The hosts raced out to a 3-0 lead by halftime, with goals from Ekitike, Van Dijk, and Mac Allister, showcasing their ability to capitalize on their opportunities.

Liverpool's success was largely due to their effective high press, which stifled West Ham's attempts to build up play. The Reds won 12 tackles compared to West Ham's 11, and their 10 corner kicks to West Ham's 5 highlighted their dominance in the attacking third. Ekitike, who scored one goal and provided two assists, was the architect of Liverpool's attack, linking up play and creating chances for his teammates.

West Ham's tactical failure was their inability to deal with Liverpool's aerial threat. The visitors conceded two goals from set-pieces, with Van Dijk and Disasi (own goal) finding the back of the net. This highlighted a weakness in West Ham's defensive organization, which Liverpool ruthlessly exploited.

Despite the scoreline, West Ham managed to create 1.86 expected goals, suggesting they had their fair share of opportunities. Soucek and Castellanos were able to pull goals back for the visitors, but it was too little, too late. Liverpool's clinical edge and defensive solidity proved to be the decisive factors in this encounter.