Liverpool’s dominant 5-2 victory over West Ham highlights Saturday’s Premier League action, alongside Brentford’s thrilling win and Everton’s resilience against Newcastle.
IMAGE: Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo celebrates scoring their fourth goal. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters
Key Points
- Liverpool defeated West Ham United 5-2, showcasing their attacking prowess and set-piece efficiency.
- Brentford secured a narrow 4-3 victory over Burnley in a thrilling match decided by a late goal and VAR controversy.
- Everton climbed to eighth place after a 3-2 win against Newcastle, demonstrating resilience after conceding a late equalizer.
- Sunderland drew 1-1 with Bournemouth, with Granit Xhaka’s return boosting their midfield presence.
Liverpool moved level on points with fourth‑placed Manchester United after a chaotic 5-2 home win over West Ham United on Saturday, their third successive Premier League victory.
Arne Slot’s men are 13 points behind leaders Arsenal, who host Chelsea on Sunday, but remain firmly in the hunt for European football. United host Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Seventh-placed Brentford edged Burnley 4-3 in a controversial thriller, Everton responded to a late goal by Newcastle en route to a 3-2 victory, while Sunderland snapped a three‑game losing league run with a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.
Liverpool exploited West Ham’s persistent vulnerability at set pieces, with Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister all striking off corners in a dominant first half.
Relegation‑threatened Hammers, who are 18th on 25 points, refused to fold though. Tomas Soucek pulled one back early in the second half and, even after Cody Gakpo made it 4-1, Valentin Castellanos reduced the deficit to keep Liverpool on edge.
Substitute Jeremie Frimpong killed off the game, his late burst forcing Axel Disasi into an own goal as West Ham slipped to a defeat that leaves them two points from the safety zone.
“We had a difficult moment during the season, but hopefully these last few games are the start of something beautiful,” Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo told Sky Sports.
“We’re coming to the end of the season and we’re still in the Champions League and FA Cup. There is a lot to play for. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum we have and end the season in a good way.”
Everton Secures Victory Over Newcastle
IMAGE: Everton’s Jordan Pickford makes a save. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
Everton climbed to eighth in the table with their smash-and-grab victory over 12th-placed Newcastle.
The Magpies’ Jacob Murphy levelled with eight minutes remaining and the home fans hoped it was the springboard for a late winner.
Instead, the good vibes lasted less than a minute as Anthony Gordon gifted Everton possession and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall cut the ball back for Thierno Barry to score an 83rd-minute winner.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford ensured the victory when he pushed a Sandro Tonali shot off the bar in injury time.
“It’s a massive win,” Everton’s first goalscorer Jarrad Branthwaite said. “We knew coming here was going to be difficult but we had to get a result. We dug in and then the way we bounced back from conceding.”
IMAGE: Everton’s Beto celebrates scoring their second goal with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
Brentford vs Burnley: Seven-Goal Thriller
Burnley fought back from three goals down and looked headed for a draw with Brentford before Mikkel Damsgaard’s 93rd-minute goal, his second of the day. Brentford pushed forward and Rico Henry launched a ball into the box, and Damsgaard fired perfectly into the bottom corner.
“We know we have to stay in it and fight hard,” Damsgaard said. “We have to find a way to keep the ball and do the small things right.”
Ashley Barnes thought he had equalised at the death for Burnley, but VAR chalked off the goal for a controversial handball.
Sunderland and Bournemouth Draw
Sunderland were helped by the return of Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka after five matches out with an ankle injury.
Back in the starting lineup, he wasted little time reasserting himself in marshalling the midfield and helping keep Bournemouth at bay until Evanilson’s 64th-minute equaliser cancelled out Eliezer Mayenda’s early goal.
“To have a natural leader like that come into the team is great,” said defender Dan Ballard. “We’ve missed him.”
Sunderland are 11th, two places behind Bournemouth.
Second-placed Manchester City were playing at Leeds United in Saturday’s late game.
