Liverpool's Darwin Nunez scores the only goal of the match against West Ham United at Anfield, Liverpool, Britain, on October 19, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Liverpool: Darwin Nunez's superb header broke his Anfield duck and earned Liverpool a 1-0 victory over West Ham United in the Premier League, but it was a nervy night for the hosts on Wednesday.
The mood was buoyant after Liverpool's win over champions Manchester City at the weekend and even more so in the 22nd minute when Uruguayan Nunez met a cross by Kostas Tsimikas to put Juergen Klopp's side in front.
Nunez, signed in June for an initial 75 million euros ($73m), was unstoppable in the first half hour and was close to a second goal when he rattled the post with a piledriver.
But West Ham grew in confidence and had a golden chance to level before halftime but Jarrod Bowen's penalty kick was well-saved by home keeper Alisson.
Liverpool, lacking the intensity they showed against City, struggled to contain a lively West Ham after the break.
The Londoners would have taken a deserved point home had either Said Benrahma or Tomas Soucek converted great chances.
Victory lifted Liverpool into seventh place with 16 points from 10 games. West Ham's first defeat in four league games left them in 13th place with 11 points.
Klopp looked relieved when the final whistle blew and gave a special hug to keeper Alisson whose save from Bowen's penalty proved the difference in the end.
In blustery conditions, Liverpool started aggressively and pinned West Ham back.
Nunez looked in the mood from the start and was close to a spectacular opener when he latched on to a long pass and belted a dipping effort that Lukasz Fabianski was just equal to.
West Ham allowed Liverpool far too much time in the 22nd minute with the ball being worked across to full back Tsimikas on the left flank.
He measured his cross perfectly for Nunez who headed powerfully down and beyond Fabianski.
He was desperately unlucky not to score again when he thumped a shot against the post.
But Liverpool gifted West Ham a way back when Joe Gomez's clumsy challenge on Bowen eventually resulted in a penalty after the referee went to the pitch-side monitor.
Bowen telegraphed his kick though and Alisson saved.
Liverpool appeared to run out of steam in the second half and West Ham began to dominate.
Substitute Benrahma should have done much better when a high ball caught out Liverpool's defence but he tamely volleyed straight at Alisson.
In the 87th minute West Ham manager David Moyes had his head in his hands as Soucek looked certain to score but James Milner deflected the Czech's close-range effort wide.
