Reds close in on UCL with big win
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LIVERPOOL kept its top-four destiny in its own hands as Philippe Coutinho’s double earned the Reds a 4-0 English Premier League victory at West Ham United yesterday that moved them back above Manchester City into third place.
Arsenal’s late surge had put Juergen Klopp’s side under immense pressure but the Reds responded in style and will definitely finish in the top-four if they beat relegated Middlesbrough at Anfield on the final day of the season next Sunday.
Anything other than a victory at West Ham’s London Stadium would have left Liverpool relying on other results going its way but once Daniel Sturridge put it ahead in the 35th minute it was relatively comfortable.
Coutinho struck twice in the space of four minutes midway through the second half and Divock Origi rubbed salt into West Ham’s wounds as the visitors ran riot.
Liverpool has 73 points with one match remaining, one ahead of Manchester City and four more than Arsenal which both have two games left to play. The top four qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Until England striker Sturridge, making his first start since January 3, opened the scoring Liverpool had seemed nervy as West Ham looked intent on putting a spanner in its top-four hopes.
West Ham’s Sam Byram wasted a golden chance early on, shooting wide after being played clear by Manuel Lanzini.
Joel Matip struck the underside of the crossbar for Liverpool, who took the lead when Coutinho’s defense-splitting pass sent Sturridge clear and he left goalkeeper Adrian grounded with a neat stepover before sliding the ball home.
Liverpool survived a scare when Andre Ayew somehow struck the post twice in the space of seconds just before the interval.
Klopp’s side could breathe easy though when Coutinho fired in a rebound in the 57th from Georginio Wijnaldum’s rasping shot. Four minutes later Coutinho made the points safe after a counter-attack with West Ham furious that a handball had gone unpunished in the build-up.
Divock Origi steered in Liverpool’s fourth as the visiting fans celebrated a likely return to Europe’s elite competition.
Earlier, Hull City’s return to the EPL ended after a single season yesterday, relegated after a 0-4 loss at Crystal Palace.
Hull completes a trio of clubs from northeast England dropping into the second-tier League Championship, with Sunderland and Middlesbrough having their relegation confirmed in recent weeks.
The result confirmed Palace’s top-flight survival and ended any prospect of Swansea City going down.
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