Liverpool Vs West Ham: New set-piece kings can still achieve 'something beautiful' as Mac Allister sees run-in as proving ground

Liverpool Vs West Ham produced a five-goal masterclass that underlined Liverpool's recent revival: a dominant victory that pushed the reigning champions back into serious contention for a top-four finish while amplifying concerns for a wobbling West Ham side.

Liverpool's five-goal statement and the table impact

Liverpool put five past West Ham in a dominant win that leaves Arne Slot’s side sitting fifth in the Premier League, just three points off third. The win extends an encouraging run: Liverpool have won four of their last five league matches, matching the number of wins they managed in the previous 13 (drawn 6, lost 3). Across all competitions they have now lost just twice in their past 21 matches, a run that has restored confidence after a turbulent campaign.

Why set-pieces have become Liverpool’s new weapon

Since the turn of the year Liverpool have scored more goals from set-pieces (excluding penalties) than any other side in the league, and in 2026 they have again scored more set-piece goals than any other team in the division excluding penalties. Seven of Liverpool’s most recent nine Premier League goals have come from set-pieces — five from corners, one from a direct free-kick and one from a throw-in — one more than they managed in their first 38 goals of the season. The club’s set-piece total for the calendar year has reached eight.

Liverpool Vs West Ham — set-piece dominance and key goals

All three of Liverpool’s goals in the first half against West Ham originated from corners. The sequence of scoring included an early Hugo Ekitiké effort after El Hadji Malick Diouf had only partially cleared a corner; Ryan Gravenberch fed the France international, who took his shot early and saw it deflect off Konstantinos Mavropanos into Mads Hermansen’s bottom corner. Critics noted both the West Ham centre-half and goalkeeper could have done more.

Virgil van Dijk then headed home Dominik Szoboszlai’s delivery after bumping aside Soungoutou Magassa and beating Томас Soucek to the ball; that was the captain’s second set-piece goal in three games and Liverpool’s seventh set-piece strike of the year. The eighth was a textbook routine: Mohamed Salah’s corner found Van Dijk, who flicked on at the near post; Ekitiké cushioned the ball out to Alexis Mac Allister, who volleyed into the roof of the net the head of Aaron Wan-Bissaka — a move notable for the fact the ball did not touch the ground from the moment it left Salah’s foot. Mac Allister’s 43rd-minute volley effectively extinguished West Ham’s hopes of a comeback.

West Ham’s troubles — on and off the pitch

West Ham’s display contained encouraging moments — Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville were lively as the visitors opened Liverpool up at times — but they could not find a finishing touch. Jarrod Bowen’s corner presented a chance when Konstantinos Mavropanos scooped wildly over with the ball at his feet. The visitors’ expected-goals figure was higher than Liverpool’s, yet Alisson produced fine saves from Thomas Soucek and then from Bowen after a clearance was struck straight at the visiting captain.

Off the field, West Ham encountered further misfortune when their team bus became stuck on a ramp while attempting to leave the team hotel. The club has warned that players may have to be sold this summer regardless of survival after posting a loss of £104. 2m for the financial year — a stark contrast with Liverpool, who announced record overall revenue of £703m in their latest accounts, much of which was reinvested back into the title-winning squad.

Context and what comes next for Liverpool

Arne Slot’s side improved their prospects of Champions League qualification with a peculiar victory at Anfield: the winning margin was more resounding than the overall performance suggested. Slot has been clear that missing out on Champions League football would be unacceptable for the reigning champions, and the team has made it its business in recent weeks to move toward that minimum objective. Earlier in the campaign, failure to reach the top four had looked possible after a run of poor results, a falling-out with Mohamed Salah and an injury to record signing Alexander Isak; recent results suggest the team has restored the know-how to win matches, whether through late winners, gutsy away displays or an increasingly productive set-piece strategy.

Staff changes and the set-piece evolution

The club’s pivot on set-pieces followed the departure of former set-piece coach Aaron Briggs; his exit was announced at the end of 2025, with the departure taking place in December, and his responsibilities have been absorbed by the existing coaching staff. That internal reshuffle has coincided with a clear turnaround: where Liverpool once scored fewer set-piece goals than any top-flight side, they now lead the league in that specific metric and are leveraging it to climb the table.

Liverpool’s five-goal afternoon against West Ham underlines both the progress made and the challenges ahead: the run-in will be a proving ground for this squad as they aim to convert set-piece supremacy into sustained success.