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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Matt Verri

West Ham 2-2 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp ending with a whimper as Michail Antonio earns Hammers point

Liverpool’s slim title hopes were ended as they were held to a 2-2 draw by West Ham at the London Stadium.

The Jurgen Klopp era is ending in tame fashion, with the Reds winning just two of their last seven matches, and any hopes they had of staying with Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race are now over.

Another slow Liverpool start saw them go in at the break behind once again, as Jarrod Bowen header West Ham in front, but there was a response from the Reds early in the second-half.

Andy Robertson got Klopp’s side level swiftly after the break, before an own goal from Alphonse Areola put them in front and on track for a much-needed win.

The visitors could not hold on though, Bowen’s cross headed home by Michail Antonio with just over ten minutes remaining, continuing Liverpool’s stumble to the finish line.

Liverpool certainly did not look like a team still in with a chance of winning the title, however slim, in a first half played with all the intensity of a pre-season friendly.

The visitors predictably dominated possession in the early stages and a Robertson cross landed at the feet of Harvey Elliott, whose first-time shot crashed into the side-netting.

Liverpool were awarded a penalty by referee Anthony Taylor after Angelo Ogbonna upended Cody Gakpo - and then handled the ball for good measure - but Luis Diaz was flagged offside with a VAR check confirming the assistant's decision.

Gakpo should have done better when he was teed up by Diaz only to blaze his shit over the crossbar, and then Diaz's shot clanged against Alphonse Areola's near post. But with two minutes to go before half-time Liverpool were caught out by a quickly-taken corner.

Mohammed Kudus lifted the ball into the box and Bowen planted his header just out of the reach of the dive of Alisson Becker.

Liverpool hit back immediately after the restart when Diaz raided down the West Ham left and squared the ball into the area. The onrushing Robertson took a touch before hitting a shot which squirmed between Areola and his right-hand post.

Then came the farcical own goal which could have catapulted Liverpool back into the title race. When Trent Alexander-Arnold swung in a corner, Gakpo prodded the ball in the general direction of the six-yard box, where all manner of chaos ensued.

Ogbonna took a swing and sliced the ball goalwards, where Tomas Soucek 's unconvincing clearance hit Areola before rolling pitifully into the net.

Areola made partial amends with a fine save from saved from Diaz before Alisson kept out a fierce volley from Emerson Palmieri.

But in the 77th minute Bowen wriggled free down the right and lifted a cross towards Antonio, who easily got in the gap between Virgil Van Dijk and Jarell Quansah as he converted a simple header.

Salah entered the fray moments later, following a heated exchanged with Klopp on the touchline, but had no impact as Liverpool's spluttering end to the season continued.

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