Alexander Isak finally opened his Premier League account for Liverpool on Sunday, helping the struggling side secure a crucial 2–0 victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium.
The win eased pressure on manager Arne Slot after a string of damaging results in recent weeks.
The Swedish striker, who joined Liverpool from Newcastle in a landmark £125 million move in September, had gone five league games without scoring and had just one goal—in the League Cup—since his arrival.
His strike against West Ham marked only his second goal in 11 appearances across all competitions for the Reds.
Isak’s breakthrough came as a significant relief to both the forward and his manager, who have endured heavy criticism amid Liverpool’s poor form.
Cody Gakpo added a second in stoppage time to seal the club’s first win in four matches.
Speaking after the match, Slot acknowledged the importance of the result for a team that had been spiralling.
“When you’ve been losing frequently, any win feels massive,” the Dutchman said.
“We created chances, hardly gave any away, and played the type of game we’ve been working towards.”
He noted that avoiding an early setback helped steady his side’s performance.
“Not conceding in the first minutes gave us control. It’s a positive step—three points and a clean sheet.”
Liverpool entered the match on the back of three straight defeats by a three-goal margin, including a 4–1 Champions League collapse against PSV Eindhoven and 3–0 thrashings by Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.
Their broader run—nine losses in 12 games—was the club’s worst spell since the 1953–54 season.
Slot insisted he still retains the squad’s support but has struggled to reignite the form of Mohamed Salah, who was benched for the third time this season after a slow start to the campaign.
Before kickoff, West Ham honoured club legend Billy Bonds with a minute’s applause following his death at age 79.
The chaotic form of both sides set the tone early.
Isak, desperate to end his drought, fired wastefully over the bar in the opening minutes and later saw a spectacular bicycle-kick attempt stopped by Alphonse Areola.
It was only his second shot on target in the league this season.
Isak’s moment finally arrived on the hour mark. A swift Liverpool move ended with Gakpo pulling the ball back for the striker, who guided a composed low finish past Areola.
The 26-year-old celebrated passionately before being substituted moments later, greeted by a firm handshake from Slot.
West Ham’s afternoon worsened when midfielder Lucas Paquetá was sent off in the 84th minute after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession for dissent.
With the hosts reduced to ten men, Liverpool pressed for a second. Deep into added time, a defensive mistake allowed Gakpo to turn sharply inside the box and rifle home, confirming a badly needed victory for the visitors.
The three points lift Liverpool to eighth in the Premier League table, offering a glimmer of recovery after a turbulent run of form.
