The last time Mohamed Salah wandered through the bowels of this sprawling stadium back in 2023, he muttered that unforgettable warning: “If I speak today, there will be fire.”
On that day, Jurgen Klopp had benched him; on this one, Arne Slot did.
And once again, Salah found himself watching from the periphery, leaning forward in the dugout and peering across the track as the action unfolded without him.
But this time, the flames weren’t coming from his frustration — they were coming from the team on the pitch, finally looking like a group with its balance restored.
Were Liverpool flawless? No. Did they rediscover the devastating swagger of last season’s title charge? Still no.
But there was a welcome sense of order again, and that alone felt like progress.
How Salah’s Absence Shifted the Shape
This isn’t a critique of Salah — one of Liverpool’s finest modern greats — but it was hard to ignore how sturdy the right side suddenly became.
Dominik Szoboszlai worked tirelessly out wide — the kind of pressing and tracking that isn’t usually demanded of Salah — and behind him, Joe Gomez made sure West Ham barely touched grass on that flank.
Gomez’s inclusion also freed Milos Kerkez on the opposite side to push forward with far more enthusiasm, and the Hungarian delivered one of his standout performances since arriving from Bournemouth in the summer.
This was Gomez’s first league start since this exact fixture last December, mostly due to injuries, but his return felt overdue.
Fans have been calling for him, and today they were proven right.
His height also made a noticeable difference: Liverpool, the league’s third-worst set-piece defenders this season, suddenly had three aerial stoppers — Gomez, Konate and Van Dijk — who dealt with every ball that rained into the box.
As for Salah, Slot will be quietly relieved.
With the Africa Cup of Nations coming soon, Liverpool needed proof they could cope without the man who delivered 57 goal contributions last season.
Now Salah returns to the XI with even more motivation — and history shows he thrives when he feels he has a point to make.
Wirtz Takes the Stage at Last
Florian Wirtz finally looked like the player Liverpool thought they’d bought.
Supporters who watched his Leverkusen highlight reels had been waiting to see that nimble, clever footballer with the elastic feet.
For weeks, though, his displays felt tame.
Not this time. He drifted into pockets, spun on the half-turn, threaded crisp passes between the lines, and generally dictated everything Liverpool created before halftime.
He still hasn’t notched his first league goal or assist, but that doesn’t reflect how involved he was — and he should have ended the drought if Isak or Gakpo had finished their early chances.
Wirtz even had an opportunity of his own in the box.
He faded slightly after the interval — understandable after a recent injury — but the signs were finally there.
Now he needs to make this level his new baseline.
Isak’s Turning Point
For nearly an hour, Alexander Isak looked like the same struggling version of himself Liverpool fans had seen all season: loose touches, sluggish runs, little threat.
Then came minute 60.
One sharp, instinctive finish — at the precise moment West Ham were starting to tilt the game their way — and everything changed.
That single goal, all £125m of pressure wrapped into one clean strike, flipped the script completely.
The away end erupted, and Isak suddenly looked like a man reborn.
Slot later admitted he was seconds from substituting him.
“It was his third chance, and I don’t think he had more than ten minutes left,” he said.
Sometimes careers hinge on tiny margins. This felt like one of those moments.
Slot’s Name Echoes Around London
Deep inside the London Stadium, you’re miles from the pitch acoustically — yet the away end made sure Arne Slot heard them.
“Arne Slot, na na na na na…” rang out louder with each passing minute, reaching full volume after Cody Gakpo sealed the 2–0 win.
It would have meant a lot. The past two weeks have been brutal for Liverpool’s new boss.
Criticism everywhere, doubts creeping into the fanbase, and a surprisingly vocal group calling for change already.
But he didn’t need the chant to know he’d nailed this one — his decisions won the game long before Gakpo’s strike.
In the context of recent struggles, this victory may be the most significant of his tenure so far.
Now comes the tricky part: backing it up.
What Comes Next?
Liverpool now walk straight into two potential slip-ups against newly promoted Sunderland and Leeds.
Wins in both would steady the whole season. Slip once, and the questions return.
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