Arne Slot straddling a cliff face but Liverpool reprieve shows recovery possible

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Your help makes all of the distinction. Learn extra Arne Slot was going through a doomsday state of affairs had he left London with a tenth loss in 13 video games. Impressed in several methods by his £100m entities, his struggle to outlive at Liverpool will go on no less than one other gameweek.

With each recreation in the intervening time comes the chance of a brand new low for the reigning Premier League champions. The Reds got here to the London Stadium on their worst run since 1952/53 and had additionally misplaced every of their final 5 away league video games within the capital. Slot wanted a change of fortunes on virtually each entrance, and he obtained simply that reprieve in opposition to a West Ham aspect mourning the loss of life of membership icon Billy Bonds.

A full restoration just isn't assured for the present Liverpool supervisor – however that is proof that Slot’s reign isn’t but untenable.

“Reduction,” Slot stated, requested on his prevailing emotion when Cody Gakpo fired in Liverpool’s second in stoppage-time to make their lead unassailable.

The Dutchman needs to be daring to guide such a seismic turnaround. Selections like benching Mohamed Salah for the primary time within the Premier League since April 2024 may very well be the making of his second coming, however might spark his demise in the event that they backfire. Thankfully for Slot, his large name to drop the membership’s deified however off-the-pace talisman aged effectively.

Slot put this determination right down to schedule and techniques slightly than Salah’s type. “ Mo has had an unbelievable profession at this membership and could have an excellent future at this membership as a result of he is such a particular participant,” he insisted. “4 video games in 10 days with solely 14 or 15 outfield gamers accessible for us, then it's important to resolve occasionally to make a sure line-up.”

Although no Salah, Liverpool had a brand new sense of life by Florian Wirtz. The German, having been absent for final week’s pair of catastrophic performances by harm, appeared revitalised on the market – virtually as if a fast reset was precisely what he wanted to begin taking part in to a degree even resembling his price ticket.

“After a really optimistic efficiency from Florian, I can acknowledge that however I additionally wish to emphasise the workforce efficiency was a lot better,” Slot stated, downplaying the significance of people in his workforce’s triumph. However there was no denying his high quality.

Enjoying centrally with Dominik Szoboszlai out on the fitting, every little thing was going by him, offering the early attacking impetus and – crucially – giving Alexander Isak some kind of service, albeit to combined outcomes at first.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/30/15/20/SEI276249052.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/30/15/20/SEI276249052.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/30/15/20/SEI276249052.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Florian Wirtz was at the heart of Liverpool’s best play" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Florian Wirtz was on the coronary heart of Liverpool’s greatest play (Adam Davy/PA Wire) The Swede has 5 targets in 5 in opposition to the Hammers and would have had his sixth if not for the goalkeeping heroics of Alphonse Areola, who produced a cat-like cease to disclaim Isak’s acrobatic effort from shut vary. His different spurned makes an attempt have been extra to do his personal shortcomings, blazing a shot contained in the field excessive and large regardless of being underneath little stress in an act of ending not akin to English soccer’s most costly participant.

However for all his positives, it was his fellow bank-breaker who was kicking himself at half-time, spurning the perfect likelihood of the sport after Gakpo put it on a plate for him with the knockback. Missed alternatives like that can make folks overlook about wider progress, and Slot was annoyed by repetition of Liverpool’s wastefulness in entrance of purpose. “The issues that have been comparable (from current losses) have been that once more we couldn’t rating our first possibilities,” he lamented.

Slot’s aspect nonetheless managed to outlive a primary half of Premier League soccer with out conceding a purpose for under the second time since 20 September. Now was time for Liverpool to take cost – a state of affairs that has grown more and more uncommon, and that they did by their nine-figure summer time signings.

Isak will take the headlines, side-footing a first-time end into the near-corner earlier than Areola to grab his first Premier League purpose in a Liverpool shirt and finish a two-month drought in all competitions. But it surely was the work of Wirtz that deserves the plaudits. He confirmed persistence and recreation IQ to carry the ball up on the sting of the world, ready for the hole in West Ham’s line to be created that allowed him to slide it by to Gakpo within the field, who arrange Isak to attain.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/30/16/281cd5794d9d235b14042e908a1eec75Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY0NjA1MTA5-2.82612016.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/30/16/281cd5794d9d235b14042e908a1eec75Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY0NjA1MTA5-2.82612016.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/30/16/281cd5794d9d235b14042e908a1eec75Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY0NjA1MTA5-2.82612016.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Alexander Isak broke the deadlock for Liverpool – his first Premier League goal for the club" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Alexander Isak broke the impasse for Liverpool – his first Premier League purpose for the membership (PA Wire) Wirtz’s exemplary contribution was very a lot in becoming along with his efficiency, whereas Isak took the glory in a second. The Swede was then instantly subbed off for Hugo Ekitike, with Slot ceremoniously ending his outing on a excessive.

Liverpool had the benefit, however now got here the daunting problem of sustaining their clear sheet. Simply as soon as since their seven-game profitable run initially of the season have the Reds stored a clear sheet within the Premier League; in opposition to Aston Villa, their solely league win since September.

They have been aided on this pursuit by the idiocy of Hammers maestro Lucas Paqueta, whose incessant interesting within the face of referee Darren England noticed him proven two yellow playing cards inside a matter of seconds of one another.

However even decreased to 10 males, West Ham got here inches from a late equaliser as Jarrod Bowen flashed his curling effort previous the highest nook. Slot was relieved that, for as soon as, his workforce didn’t concede the primary main likelihood that got here the opposition’s manner. “The nice factor was that for the primary time in lots of, many, many video games, the primary likelihood of the opponent didn’t go in as effectively. The most effective factor was it was their solely likelihood and it got here after 90 minutes,” he stated.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/30/16/34/GettyImages-2249193691.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/30/16/34/GettyImages-2249193691.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/11/30/16/34/GettyImages-2249193691.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Arne Slot was pleased that his side didn’t concede the first big chance they faced" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Arne Slot was happy that his aspect didn’t concede the primary large likelihood they confronted (Getty Photographs) Gakpo rubber-stamped Liverpool’s victory in stoppage time, settling any remaining nerves as Slot’s title bellowed out from the away finish. “It tells you that this membership is all the time collectively, much more within the tough moments,” Slot stated. For now, Liverpool followers nonetheless help their supervisor.

However goodwill can shift straight away. If this highway is to finish at restoration, Liverpool want to make sure they don’t fall again into the identical degenerative patterns. With Slot straddling a cliff face, he has taken a step in the fitting route.