West Ham United may have left Anfield on the wrong end of a 5–2 scoreline on Saturday, but the margin of defeat did not fully reflect how competitive they were against Liverpool.
In previous seasons, trips to Merseyside have often felt like damage-limitation exercises. Deep defensive blocks, five-at-the-back systems and minimal attacking ambition have characterised many of the Hammers’ visits to Anfield.
This time, under Nuno Espirito Santo, the approach was markedly different.
A bold setup pays partial dividends
Nuno set his side up in an adventurous 4-3-3 formation, intent on taking the game to Liverpool rather than merely containing them. That plan suffered an early blow when Hugo Ekitike struck in the fifth minute, handing the hosts an immediate advantage.
Yet unlike many past encounters, West Ham did not retreat into their shell.
Even after conceding early, the Irons continued to press, commit numbers forward and attempt to exploit space in transition. They asked questions of Liverpool’s defence and showed a level of belief that has often been absent in similar fixtures.
Character despite defensive frailties
Conceding five goals is never acceptable, and there were clear issues — particularly from set pieces, where West Ham looked vulnerable throughout. As the game stretched in the closing stages, their attacking intent also left them exposed at the back.
But the key difference was mentality.
At 4–1 down in the second half, many teams might have folded. Instead, West Ham remained ambitious, continuing to push forward and refusing to accept the inevitable. It was an approach that made the contest far more open — and far more encouraging — than the scoreline suggests.
Given the context of a tense relegation battle, pragmatists might argue that a cautious 0–0 draw would have been preferable. However, after a drab stalemate against Bournemouth the previous week, this display at least offered signs of life and attacking identity.
Relegation picture unchanged
Crucially, results elsewhere softened the blow. With Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur both losing on Sunday, West Ham did not lose ground on their direct rivals.
That context matters.
Results are paramount at this stage of the season, and there is no disguising the disappointment of another defeat. But performances can shape belief — and this one suggested there is enough fight and quality within Nuno’s squad to mount a survival push.
Next up is a crucial clash with Fulham. If West Ham can maintain the same attacking intent while tightening up defensively and improving their clinical edge, they will give themselves every chance of climbing out of the bottom three.
The scoreline at Anfield may look heavy. The performance, however, offered something far more valuable: hope.