Liverpool suffered another blow to their dwindling Premier League title hopes as Michail Antonio's late header snatched a 2-2 draw for West Ham United at London Stadium.
Jurgen Klopp's side disappointed in Wednesday's 2-0 defeat against Everton, with Jarrod Bowen's goal and assist on his 200th appearance for West Ham inflicting further pain for the Reds.
With his 16th Premier League goal of the season, Bowen moved level with Paolo Di Canio for the most goals scored by a West Ham player in a single season in the competition, set in 1999/00 by the Italian.
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Liverpool responded well to Bowen's first-half opener, edging ahead through Alphonse Areola's own goal after Andy Robertson's 48th-minute leveller, only for Bowen to tee up Antonio's headed equaliser 13 minutes from time.
The draw leaves Liverpool two points behind leaders Arsenal ahead of the Gunners’ meeting with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and one behind Manchester City – who have two games in hand on the Reds – while West Ham remain eighth.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
36 | +60 | 83 |
| 2 |
Man City
MCI
|
35 | +54 | 82 |
| 3 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
36 | +43 | 78 |
How the match unfolded
A tepid opening befitted two sides struggling for form as both failed to carve out any gilt-edged opportunities.
Liverpool wanted a 27th-minute penalty for Angelo Ogbonna's tackle on Cody Gakpo and, though an offside call against Luis Diaz silenced those appeals, that passage livened the game up.
Harvey Elliott's curling shot was held by Areola after Vladimir Coufal went close at the other end, before Diaz blasted a low strike against the West Ham goalkeeper's right-hand post.
Bowen saw a deflected shot parried behind by Alisson but the West Ham winger headed Mohammed Kudus' left-wing delivery into the far corner from the resulting set-piece two minutes before the break to put West Ham in front.
Ryan Gravenberch flashed a powerful half-volley over immediately after the interval – and West Ham did not heed that warning sign.
Diaz cut inside from the left to find Robertson before a slight deflection off Lucas Paqueta saw Areola caught off-guard as the left-back found the bottom-left corner via the post.
Gravenberch arrowed a shot narrowly wide before one-way traffic finally paid dividends midway through the second half when Gakpo's miscued effort from Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner forced Areola to turn into his own net after a deflection off Tomas Soucek.
Alisson kept his side ahead with a remarkable stretching stop to thwart Emerson's volley, yet the Liverpool goalkeeper was powerless when Antonio headed into the top-right corner from Bowen's right-wing cross.
Elliott almost snatched all three points in the 89th minute but his dipping shot found the top of the crossbar rather than the right-hand corner from long range.
Reds falter once again
Under Klopp, Liverpool have won more Premier League games only against Crystal Palace (13) than West Ham (12).
Yet the visiting Reds faltered once more as what appeared to be a promising season continues to unravel in disappointing fashion for Klopp's final campaign.
Having threatened an unlikely quadruple at the start of March, Liverpool now require a minor miracle – and slip-ups from Man City and Arsenal – to muster a slight shot at the title.
Bowen on target but West Ham struggle at home
Bowen had already found the net in the Premier League and EFL Cup against Liverpool this season and became just the second West Ham player to score in three different games against the Reds in a single campaign – after Geoff Hurst in 1964/65.
His well-taken headed opener eased the nervous home crowd, yet this draw leaves West Ham with only one win from their last nine Premier League home games.
That concerning home form may be what costs David Moyes’ side a higher finish. The Hammers trail seventh-placed Newcastle United by four points, despite the Magpies playing one game fewer.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
Spurs
TOT
|
35 | +11 | 60 |
| 6 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
35 | +22 | 56 |
| 7 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
35 | +11 | 54 |
| 8 |
Man Utd
MUN
|
35 | -3 | 54 |
| 9 |
West Ham
WHU
|
36 | -14 | 49 |
Club reports
West Ham report | Liverpool report
Next Premier League fixtures
Key facts
Liverpool have won just one of their last five Premier League games (D2 L2), keeping just a single clean sheet in their last 14 matches in the competition.
Liverpool have gone 1-0 down in 16 different Premier League matches this season. Indeed, it’s the joint-most games they have conceded first in a single league campaign under Jurgen Klopp (also 16 times in 2022/23).
Jarrod Bowen became the first player to reach 20 goals in a season in all competitions for West Ham since both Teddy Sheringham and Marlon Harewood did so in 2004/05.
Following goals against Bayer Leverkusen, Crystal Palace and Liverpool today, Michail Antonio has scored in three consecutive games for West Ham in all competitions for the first time since August 2021. He has five Premier League goals against Liverpool, only netting more against Spurs, with six.