Sparkling West Ham beat Liverpool - 7M sport

Sparkling West Ham beat Liverpool



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Posted Monday, February 28, 2011 by UK.eurosport.yahoo.com

Sparkling West Ham beat Liverpool

West Ham's hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League were given a boost after their convincing 3-1 win over Liverpool at Upton Park.

Hammers captain Scott Parker opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a wonderful finish from the edge of the box, before Demba Ba continued his scoring run for his new club right before half-time.

Glen Johnson scored against his former club to ensure a nervy final few minutes, but substitute Carlton Cole added a late third to secure a vital three points for Avram Grant's side.

Despite ending a run of four straight defeats to Liverpool, the win is not enough to lift them out of the relegation zone. The Hammers move up from bottom of the table to 18th, below Wolves on goal difference. However, the manner of the victory and the performance will give plenty of cause for optimism for the remainder of the season.

Liverpool remain sixth, six point behind Chelsea who play Manchester United on Tuesday.

After finally making his West Ham debut in the FA Cup on Monday after missing the whole campaign through injury, midfielder Thomas Hitzelsperger made his Premier League bow, six years after making the last of his 99 league appearances for Aston Villa.

The German was highly influential. He fired two trademark long-range strikes right at Pepe Reina, but his role in midfield was key to the home side bossing the half and looking nothing like a side who started the day bottom of the table.

He played his part to play in Parker's fifth league goal of the season which put the Hammers ahead. Parker slipped as he played a one-two with Hitzelsperger, but regained his footing to collect the return pass and curl an outstanding shot just inside the far post with the outside of his boot.

Liverpool had Steven Gerrard restored to the side after missing their last three games through injury, but the Liverpool captain once again played second fiddle to Raul Meireles in the Reds' midfield.

Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt were too often anonymous up front for the visitors. The only time they combined effectively was when Suarez led the counter-attack from a West Ham corner before picking out Kuyt, who drifted inside and fired into the side netting.

Frederic Piquionne caused plenty of problems for Liverpool's three centre-backs - including Scotland international Danny Wilson, making his Premier League debut - and the French striker struck a lethal low ball across the six-yard box which Ba just failed to meet with an outstretched boot.

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