West Ham United ended Liverpool’s 25-match unbeaten run with a dramatic 3–2 win on Sunday. David Moyes’ side put on a great display, but most of the spotlight was stolen by Jürgen Klopp and the manager’s disappointment with the referee, Craig Pawson and his video assistant Stuart Attwell.
An Alisson own goal gave Hammers the lead and even though Liverpool players were shouting for an Angela Ogbonna foul on Alisson and VAR had a check, the goal stood.
“It was a clear foul on Alisson,” Klopp said. “When you see the dynamic of the whole situation, how close they [Ogbonna and Alisson] are to each other, how can that not be a foul? The decision is really strange.”
Shortly afterwards Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson was hit by a Aaron Cresswell tackle. Given the reckless nature of the challenge, it looked like a red card, but VAR said no.
“It’s a clear red card,” Klopp said afterwards. “Yes he [Cresswell] touched the ball but if it’s a reckless challenge it doesn’t matter if you touch the ball. You cannot go high up like that. There are too many things where it is ‘let’s see what VAR is saying’ and we have a problem with clear and obvious mistakes because whoever we have for VAR hides behind referees. This was a big problem for us today.”
Liverpool did manage to equalize through a wonderful freekick from Trent Alexander Arnold in the first half but thanks to goals from Pablo Fornals and Kurt Zouma Hammers won the game in front of a rocking London Stadium. The victory means West Ham leapfrogged the Reds in the Premier League table.
David Moyes, who’ve never won against Liverpool in the Premier League before, was very pleased with his team’s performance.
“Liverpool played some great stuff, but we dug in,” Moyes said. “I want us to challenge whichever teams are in the top four, I have laid that down to the players.”