Liverpool vs West Ham LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction

If Sunday’s win over Manchester City is to be the springboard that Liverpool’s stuttering season required, then perhaps this rather more sedate victory over West Ham United can provide the same for their marquee summer signing. The hope will be that Darwin Nunez’s first Anfield goal is a catalyst for a career that is beginning to show shoots of potential, if this match-winning display is anything to go by.

Nunez’s first-half header proved enough to overcome a West Ham side that, by the end, had done enough to earn a point. If Jarrod Bowen had converted a penalty on the cusp of half time, they may have even taken all three, given that they were the more dangerous of the two sides in the second half. Yet David Moyes was left to rue missed chances, especially a late Tomas Soucek opportunity that somehow did not earn them an equaliser.

Liverpool’s task for the evening was to ensure Sunday was not another false dawn in the manner that the wins over Newcastle United and Ajax proved to be. Klopp kept faith in the shape that inflicted Manchester City’s first defeat of the season but switched personnel. Trent Alexander-Arnold was one of five changes, making his first start since recovering from injury, while Diogo Jota’s calf problem brought Nunez into the line-up.

The Uruguayan’s chaotic late cameo against City went largely unremarked upon in all the bad blood post-match, though enough of the away end here saw it judging by their early suggestion that he is an inferior version of Andy Carroll. West Ham provided Carroll with an escape route out of Anfield after the failure of his £35million move, of course, but Nunez quickly made his case that he will be following the same path.

Mark Critchley at Anfield:

The whistle goes and the Reds take three points! West Ham played much better second half but missed two big chances.

Liverpool should have scored more than one too but were wasteful in front of goal - they’ll thank Alisson for that penalty save.

Darwin Nunez’s header wins the game.

Four minutes added on.

Liverpool have been pretty ragged since the subs around the hour mark. Milner has led the charge to try and get some sort of control in the last few minutes but too many others have been scruffy and hesitant.

They are partway through injury time now though and West Ham’s time is running out.

Scamacca, free header, over the bar! Two enormous moments and they fail to take either of them.

Will the Hammers get another opportunity?

Milner tees up a shot for Henderson as the Reds run up the other end but it’s blocked and cleared away.

Elliott looks to be fouled and it’s not given - Klopp is irate immediately - and Liverpool make very hard work of clearing their lines in the end.

Salah skips away from his marker and runs through against Fabianski - but the Pole is quickly off his line and out to slide the ball clear.

Another almost-moment for the Reds.

Then it’s West Ham’s turn to surely score - Bowen tees up Soucek and Milner makes an incredible block. Game-saving as it stands.

Corner to Liverpool, counter to West Ham - and a big chance considering they’ve had very few this half.

Antonio frees Scamacca down the right side of the box and his shot is wild and wayward.

Well inside the last ten minutes now and matters might start getting edgy inside Anfield now.

Two more subs for Liverpool: Robertson for Tsimikas and Milner for Firmino. Back to their old 4-3-3 by the looks of things, Milner into the middle.

Salah runs in behind of the defence and goes down in the box - the ref’s whistle goes...but that’s because the offside flag is up.

The Egyptian then releases Henderson, he crosses and Zouma stretches...putting it past his own goalkeeper, off the crossbar and over!

West Ham still in this game, somehow.

Another Hammers sub has seen Antonio on for Downes.

How is it not 2-0?! A corner is met by Van Dijk, it drops to Firmino and Fabianski makes a huge block, then Jones sees the rebound shot deflected over!

Liverpool still just can’t quite kill off this fixture.

Terrible cross from Rice almost turns into an assist. Alisson starts to come then stops as the wind catches it, Gomez loses the flight and it arrives to Benrahma - his side-foot volley is tame though and it’s saved.

Fabinho has really struggled to get himself up to the tempo of the match so far but Henderson has had one of his much better outings.

Alexander-Arnold frees Firmino through the middle and he could shoot, hesitates, changes his mind and then tries to smash it - he’s off-balance by then and it’s wild and off-target. Into the last quarter of the match we go.

Henderson defends well against Benrahma as the Hammers try to build right side.