Liverpool player ratings vs West Ham: five score 7/10 but two 5/10s - gallery

Liverpool battled from behind to earn a 2-1 victory against West Ham United and move up to sixth in the Premier League table.

Goals from Cody Gakpo and Joel Matip ensured the Reds recorded a third successive victory in their pursuit of European qualification for next season.

The game started fairly openly and it was West Ham who took advantage in the 12th minute. The Hammers cut the Liverpool defence apart and Lucas Paqueta drilled an effort beyond the reach of goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

However, the Reds were back level only six minutes later through a fine finish of their own. Trent Alexander-Arnold played an incisive ball into Gakpo, who created himself a yard of space before his low 25-yard shot found the bottom corner.

Liverpool were in the ascendancy for the majority of the rest of the half, with Diogo Jota firing over before heading wide. Yet Klopp’s men were fired a huge warning when West Ham forward Said Benrahma wriggled into the box and almost found Michail Antonio at the back post - only for Virgil van Dijk to make an important interception.

The Reds should have done much better with a counter-attack on 55 minutes - and were so nearly punished. West Ham mustered a swift salvo over their own and Jarrod Bowen’s fine finish found the far corner. However, a VAR check deemed Bowen to be offside in the build-up and his effort was disallowed.

The next goal was always going to be imperative - and it fell in favour of the visitors. In the 67th minute, Robertson swung in a corner and there was Matip to power a header home.

West Ham wanted a penalty in the dying embers when the ball struck the arm of Thiago Alcantara. Yet appeals were waved off and Liverpool clung on for all three points.

Here’s how we rated the Liverpool players.