Hammer blow for Reds

Liverpool 0 West Ham United 0

West Ham were unable to end a futile run that has seen them fail to win at Anfield on every visit since 1963 but it was a close run thing as Sam Allardyce’s side weathered a glut of Liverpool possession before almost winning the game with a late Jack Collison header.

The Hammers substitute rose to meet Gary O’Neil’s 85th minute corner and produced a powerful header which beat goalkeeper Pepe Reina but not Liverpool midfielder Lucas who responded with a spectacular goalline clearance to preserve the stalemate.

Allardyce, also, pointed to a strong penalty appeal after James Tomkins appeared to be tripped by Jose Enrique at an O’Neil corner earlier in the second half as evidence that his team merited all three points although, predictably, it was an assessment with which his opposite number Brendan Rodgers disagreed.

“In a game like that, you’ve either got to score early to open it up or you need that wee bit of luck to get a goal,” said Rodgers. “Unfortunately, when we did score, it was ruled out for offside. When you see it again, it was clearly on side, and that’s what we needed.”

The “goal” in question came after 65 minutes when Daniel Sturridge steered home a long Jordan Henderson shot and replays did, indeed, show Liverpool had been hard done by although the hosts had only themselves to blame for a host of other opportunities that came and went without West Ham’s excellent defence being penetrated. “I’m absolutely delighted with a point and clean sheet,” responded Allardyce.

“But disappointed not to have won this game. They had the most possession, I know that, but we had the better chances in this match and it would have been a massive bonus for us to have won. It’s 50 years since we won here.

“But we’re looking up, rather than down, after this big point. I’d like another three points, to reach the magic 40 mark, before we’re absolutely safe.”

Indeed, Allardyce’s assessment was not too far wide of the mark with his team, certainly, enjoying the better chances of the opening period.

First, Mohamed Diame showed intricate footwork to jig between three markers, only to end his one-man attack with a disappointing shot over. Then, the ball was gifted to Carlton Cole who paused momentarily before shooting, presenting Daniel Agger with the chance to block.

Not until first half injury-time, and some unconvincing goalkeeper from Jussi Jaaskelainen at a Luis Suarez corner, was the West Ham goal seriously threatened although the keeper made amends with a stop from Glen Johnson.

With a victory apparently vital were Liverpool to maintain hopes of a top-five, and Europa League finish, the second half offered more openings for Rodgers’ team, even if the pattern of play and resolute West Ham defending remained unaltered.

A Steven Gerrard cross was almost turned in by Suarez, the Liverpool captain looked certain to score until James Tomkins appeared with an heroic goalline clearance and the impressive Philippe Coutinho cut in from the left and sent a shot drifting just beyond the far post.

In between, Sturridge was unfortunate to have his effort ruled out and Gerrard appealed for a penalty after a collision with Tomkins. But it was not until injury-time that the hosts seriously threatened again, the sub-par Suarez being denied at the near-post by Jaaskelainen.

“Our aims are simply to finish as high as we an,” said Rodgers of the latest setback. “This was a game we wanted to win because our form here at Anfield has been getting better all the time.

“For us, it was a case of looking for the three points to keep us moving forward. We didn’t do that but our aim’s very much the same — finish the season strong and confident, see where it takes us in the league, knowing that it will give us a good starting point for the summer and, hopefully, make a much better start to next season.”