Alexander Isak scored his first goal in the Premier League as Liverpool secured a vital 2-0 victory against West Ham.
The Swedish forward had managed only one Carabao Cup goal following his expensive £125 million ($165.6m) transfer from Newcastle.
However, his well-executed strike in the second half, combined with Cody Gakpo‘s goal in stoppage time, helped the struggling champions Liverpool—who had lost nine out of their last 12 matches—secure a much-needed win.
West Ham’s charity was notable, as they frequently allow struggling teams to find form, compounded by Lucas Paqueta‘s absurd red card.
After receiving a booking for dissent from referee Darren England, Paqueta returned to argue again, resulting in his dismissal.
Facing mounting pressure, Liverpool manager Arne Slot made bold decisions, including dropping Mohamed Salah in favor of Isak.
This was a significant decision, marking the first time Salah had been excluded from a starting XI in the Premier League since April 2024, also against West Ham.
Previously, he had an on-pitch disagreement with manager Jurgen Klopp before coming on as a substitute late in that match. However, in this game, Salah remained on the bench, as Slot substituted Isak with Hugo Ekitike shortly after his goal.
The match had a poignant atmosphere at the London Stadium, with tributes to West Ham legend Billy Bonds, following his passing at the age of 79. A moment of applause was held, and current captain Jarrod Bowen laid Bonds’ number four shirt in front of the stand named in his honor.
Isak had a golden opportunity in the first half, connecting well with a cross from Joe Gomez, but saw his shot thwarted by a remarkable save from Alphonse Areola.
Florian Wirtz, still seeking his first goal for Liverpool since joining from Bayer Leverkusen, missed a chance just before halftime, hitting his shot too close to Areola once again.
Liverpool finally broke the deadlock on the hour mark when Wirtz set up Gakpo on the left of the West Ham area. Gakpo pulled the ball back from the byline, allowing Isak to calmly side-foot the ball into the net from 12 yards out.
Immediately substituted for Ekitike, Isak watched as his replacement nearly added a second goal with a curling shot that went just wide of the post.
Paqueta’s reckless dismissal followed, yet West Ham nearly equalized when Bowen’s shot narrowly missed the goal late in the match.
In stoppage time, Areola lost track of play, allowing Gomez to set up Gakpo, who sealed the victory for Liverpool.