THE SMILES said it all.
Darwin Nunez, grinning from ear to ear as he ran to the corner to celebrate scoring his first goal at Anfield in a Liverpool shirt.
Alisson, trying desperately to mask a smirk while receiving back-slaps and high-fives having saved Jarrod Bowen’s VAR-given penalty on the stroke of half-time.
And Jurgen Klopp, showing off those big white pearly teeth, perhaps just happy to be stood in the dug-out after his sending off for screaming at officials against Manchester City.
While, in the end, this was a well-earned victory against a West Ham side they have now lost to just once in 50 home league outings, it feels far more significant.
Dropped points here after the emphatic confidence-booster of seeing off rivals City and Pep Guardiola would have seen the Reds go back to square one.
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Momentum has been hard to come by this campaign. Klopp will point to a variety of things to explain that. Injuries. Refereeing decisions. The bedding in of Nunez.
The first two have been out of his control. The loss of Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota until after the World Cup are bitter pills to swallow.
But in the latter, Klopp has a raw, hot-headed forward desperate to impress the Kop in any way he can. Right now, it is by alternating from utter brilliance to frustrating wastefulness.
The Uruguayan, a summer signing from Benfica in a deal that could rise to £85m, should have bagged himself one or two before finally finding the net in the 22nd minute – his third in four league starts.
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Yet had Bowen’s penalty not been met by Alisson, those shirked opportunities – which at times were comical in their execution – could have proved more costly in an awkward mid-week clash.
Crucially, they did not, and Liverpool now have the chance to put together one of their formidable runs of form that is desperately needed if they are to chop down Arsenal’s 11-point lead.
Hammers boss David Moyes has been on the wrong end of several VAR decisions already this campaign, so would at least have been pleased that particular rut ended on Merseyside.
For the most part, however, his side were found wanting, chasing shadows and struggling to seriously test a Liverpool back four that has been shipping goals for fun at times this season.
It is now 18 Prem games without victory at Anfield in Moyes’ career, but he was desperate to change that with an attacking 4-3-3 line-up from the off.
After deploying a dodgy-looking back five in their 1-1 draw away at Southampton on Sunday, the Scot switched to a four with Kurt Zouma returning from illness.
Flynn Downes earned his first ever Prem start with Lucas Paqueta out with a shoulder problem, and Gianluca Scamacca joined Bowen up top.
Klopp also opted for a shake-up, most notably Trent Alexander-Arnold returning to the fold with England boss Gareth Southgate watching on in full World Cup mode.
It was another Three Lion in Declan Rice who, after scoring in the Prem for the first time in almost a year at the weekend, passed up an early shot from a poor Alisson ball at the back.
But it was not long before Nunez had Fabianski scrambling back to his line to tip over a beauty of a volley from range, latching on to a sprayed Thiago pick-out.
He was just getting his eye in, it seemed, as seven minutes later he got his head on to a Konstantinos Tsimikas cross that split centre backs Zouma and Thilo Kehrer, nestling into the bottom corner.
Then came the side of Nunez that leaves you wanting. A tame shot at Fabianski, a thumping volley onto the post and then a shinned slice. Quite the highlight reel.
They must have been running through his head as Joe Gomez wiped out Bowen in the box. Referee Stuart Atwell headed to the monitor before awarding the obvious after two minutes and 16 seconds of deliberating.
Klopp, unsurprisingly, remained calm throughout on the sidelines. Virgil van Dijk meanwhile was caught scuffing up the penalty spot with his heel.
Not that it seriously impacted Bowen’s run-up, one which ended with Moyes slapping his hands to his wearied forehead.
Klopp began the second half with Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest and their recent injury record on his mind. Nunez and Thiago were subbed off just before the hour mark.
And with Andy Robertson and James Milner thrown on to see out the result, it almost came back to bite them late on but for an incredible Milner block to deny Tomas Soucek from a yard out.
Just like against City, Liverpool were made to work for the narrowest of three points.
But right now, the numbers are what matter most. It is now 29 league games at Anfield without defeat, a second clean sheet on the bounce and three points clawed back on the Gunners.
For now, the smiles are back.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
