West Ham should have been on the score sheet too, but a stonewall Reds foul in the box on Jarrod Bowen led to a clear-cut goal that West Ham should have had, but video showed that a clear penalty should have been given for a Liverpool foul on the Prague hero.
Instead, West Ham were level just before the half-hour mark when Bowen curled a beautiful diving header from a low cross from Vladimir Coufal.
The game went from West Ham’s hands in the second half, though, as Liverpool capitalised on some sloppy Hammers defending to win 3-1. One player who didn’t deserve to lose was West Ham’s Brazilian superstar, Lucas Paqueta.
What Liverpool fans did to West Ham stars Lucas Paqueta and Danny Ings in 87th minute at Anfield was pure class
The midfielder performed magnificently throughout the match, linking up well with the Liverpool players. He also dominated possession, winning more goals than anyone else on the field. It was unfortunate that he had to work so deep, as West Ham were understandably cautious with Salah at the other end of the pitch. Paqueta was an absolute magician, and Liverpool’s players were unable to get close to him, whether he was dribbling through their legs or lobbing the ball over their heads.
On several occasions, up to three Liverpool players had to try to keep Paqueta at bay, often having no choice but to penalise him.
So it was no surprise that Paqueta caught everyone’s attention, from the commentators who were waxing lyrical about the striker’s performance all the way to the fans in the stands.
What Liverpool fans did to the West Ham stars of Paqueta and Danny Ings at the end of the 87th minute was nothing short of classy.
After Paqueta was replaced by former Liverpool striker Ings, Paqueta ran himself into the ground.
The Anfield faithful applauded Paqueta as he walked off the pitch, and the Brazilian raised his hand in appreciation.
The Liverpool fans also applauded former player Ings as he stepped off the field.
Credit where credit is due to the Anfield crowd
Anfield may be heavily hyped by the media, however, the Liverpool supporters, just like those of West Ham, value quality football and recognise a top performer when they see them. This was evident in Paqueta’s brilliant performance.
The home support showed their appreciation for the Hammers by giving a standing ovation to Paqueta. This is becoming more and more common due to the increasingly tribal nature of the current footballing landscape.
The applause for the West Ham duo was understandable as Liverpool knew they had already won at that stage.
