Manuel Lanzini and West Ham embarrass Liverpool at Anfield
Will the real West Ham United please stand up?
Following a disastrous 4-3 loss to Premier League new boys Bournemouth at east London's Upton Park last weekend, the Irons looked like a side possessed, outclassing Liverpool 3-0 on their own hallowed pitch.
Manuel Lanzini, Mark Noble, and Diafra Sakho scored for a West Ham side that were dominant in every element of the match.
As brilliant as West Ham were in the opening stanza, Liverpool were equally dismal, deserving nothing less than what the scoreboard read.
Lanzini and Aaron Cresswell marauded down the flanks giving the Liverpool full-backs fits, and it was the 22-year-old Argentinian on loan from Al Jazira Club who opened his goal-scoring account for the Hammers.
A feeble headed clearance by centre-back Martin Skrtel bounced directly to Cresswell, whose diagonal ball found Lanzini before he calmly placed it in the corner past a flat-footed Simon Mignolet.
2:28 - Manuel Lanzini's goal for West Ham at Liverpool today is the fastest scored in the Premier League so far in 2015-16 (2:28). Rapid.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 29, 2015
Skrtel's poor header was outdone only by a moment of utter nonsense from centre-back partner Dejan Lovren, when the Croatian international was easily dispossessed by Lanzini near the corner flag, zipping a perfect pass to Noble in the box before the skipper slotted one by the perpetually oblivious Mignolet.
Straight red cards to Philippe Coutinho and Noble were harsh if not deserving of yellows, but both dismissals had little influence on a match that was decided with 20 minutes remaining in the first half.
As brilliant as West Ham were in the match, Liverpool were equally as dismal, with a back four that seemed outmatched and utterly disinterested. Lovren's performance was noteworthy in how disastrous it was, and Liverpool's newest darling Joe Gomez looked completely off the pace.
Liverpool's back line (Clyne, Lovren, Gomez & Skrtel) have won just 1 tackle between them in the first half. pic.twitter.com/uGjc5nzzUE
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 29, 2015
It's the first time West Ham has won at Anfield in 52 years, as boss Slaven Bilic can count away victories against Liverpool and Arsenal as his maiden Premier League wins.
The result is calamitous for a Liverpool side heading into the international break with as many questions as they have answers, as it's uncertain that Brendan Rodgers has any idea what is his best side.