West Ham United pull off big shock as early strikes prove too much for Liverpool at Upton Park

LIVERPOOL’S stuttering start to the new Premier League season continued as only Raheem Sterling proved a threat in a 3-1 loss away to West Ham.

Liverpool's English midfielder Steven Gerrard (L) and Liverpool's Italian striker Mario Balotelli react at the final whistle in the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Liverpool at The Boleyn Ground, Upton Park, in east London on September 20, 2014. West Ham won the game 3-1. AFP PHOTO/IAN KINGTON RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

LIVERPOOL suffered a surprise 3-1 loss away to West Ham as fresh questions were raised about whether they have the defence required to win the Premier League.

OZIL STARS AS ARSENAL HAMMER VILLA

Brendan Rodgers’s men were 2-0 down inside seven minutes at Upton Park.

The visitors failing to deal with James Tomkins’s knock down and Winston Reid turned the ball in to put the Hammers 1-0 up in the second minute.

Morgan Amalfitano seals the win.

And the London side doubled their lead minutes later when Senegal forward Diafra Sakho’s intended cross beat everyone, including Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Defensive errors cost Liverpool the title when they finished runners-up to champions Manchester City last term and they’ve now lost three of five league games this season.

But they remain a potent attacking force and England winger Raheem Sterling pulled a goal back with an unstoppable shot from inside the box in the 26th minute after Mario Balotelli’s initial effort was blocked.

Substitute Morgan Amalfitano made the game safe for Sam Allardyce’s West Ham side two minutes from time when he latched on to former Liverpool winger Stewart Downing’s through-ball before finding the far corner.

“We knew this would be a tough game but we were 2-0 down before we started,” Liverpool manager Rodgers said.

“We are obviously a team that is associated with coming out quickly, but for some reason we just didn’t get going.

Raheem Sterling proved a constant threat for Liverpool.

“In fairness to West Ham, they came out and put us under pressure on the ball and we were just unable to play around that. Before we knew it, we were 2-0 down and from that point it was very difficult for us.”

Rodgers, who replaced Javier Manquillo with Mamadou Sakho just 22 minutes in, felt the early change was justified.

“We didn’t look like we could compete with that at that stage, so as the coach you make the change and the system to give them something else to think about,” he said.

“It worked reasonably well for us, we started getting the ball into wide players and got back into the game at 2-1. From that, probably up until they then scored the third goal, we had decent control of the game.

“But for us, the standard of our play was nowhere near what we would expect. Our passing and composure today was too short, there were too many long passes and overall our performance wasn’t at the required level.”

With Liverpool having played in the Champions League in midweek, Hammers boss Allardyce was delighted by his side’s start.

“Liverpool had played in the Champions League for the first time in five years which is tiring and we wanted to start as quickly as we can,” Allardyce said.

Mario Balotelli and Adrian get well acquainted.

“We said let’s not let them control the tempo and press their back players. It worked brilliantly.

“There are lots of new players here – Alex Song, Enner Valencia, Sakho – these lads are bedding in nice and quickly and producing really good performances. Cheick Kouyate and Aaron Cresswell, of course, and the rest of the lads have been with us before.

“First half was absolutely outstanding. I think, from our point of view, the way we got about our job in the first-half really took Liverpool by surprise.

“Even in the end when Morgan Amalfitano came on and clinched that third goal, that was just at the right time because you know Liverpool are pressing at that stage and one little slip and it might have been 2-2. But we really finished Liverpool off.”

Originally published as West Ham United pull off big shock as early strikes prove too much for Liverpool at Upton Park