Overview
- Liverpool beat West Ham 5-2 at Anfield as Hugo Ekitike scored, provided two assists and earned Player of the Match, taking his debut-season total to 16 goals after a reported £79m move.
- Three first-half goals arrived from corners, with Liverpool becoming only the second Premier League team to manage that in one half.
- The victory left Liverpool fifth and level on points with fourth place, extending a recent winning run across competitions to four matches.
- Ekitike told club media he is "not that happy" with his tally and vowed to improve, with injuries to Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz keeping him as the focal point in attack.
- Reaction mixed praise with caution as Owen Hargreaves said Ekitike could become one of the world’s best strikers, while assessments noted Mohamed Salah’s league drought and periods of defensive vulnerability.