West Ham United 0-5 Liverpool: Mohamed Salah inspires five-star rout of Hammers as Liverpool extend Premier League lead

Can't say it wasn't coming. Liverpool so much on top as the ball breaks kindly back to Diaz, and he thumps the finish low and hard into the net.

Emerson knocks the ball off Gomez. Much to the delight of the home support, who celebrate that decision like it is the opening goal. Looked like the wrong call. Alisson doing enough to claw away the delivery in a packed box.

Only minor concern for Dutch coach Arne Slot is working out they haven't moved ahead here yet. Much of that is down to the stout work of home goalkeeper.

Home keeper Alphonse Areola does superbly to fist over the Luiz Diaz finish after West Ham squandered possession in the middle of the park.

Already up to over 60% of possession. West Ham fans trying to get themselves involved in the narrative, but it is difficult to blow bubbles when your side are seeing so little of the football. A difficult watch for them so far.

Cody Gakpo tries to cut another dash through the home defence, but he drives the ball inches over from Ryan Gravenberch's pass. Still fine play. But West Ham can't really get out of their own half.

So much sharp play about Liverpool in the opposition half as Areola is off his line to make the stop from Jones after he was played in by Salah. Not sure how this remains 0-0.

A 2-0 win at Everton earlier today means Liverpool are bidding to go eight points clear of Forest in second place this evening.

Happy to go short and long with the ball whenever the mood takes them. Salah so good in dealing with all sorts of balls. Joe Gomez has been impressive with his distribution from deep.

This time Gakpo just fails to connect with the Salah cross before Alphonse Areola can't deal with another cross as West Ham scramble it clear. A goal surely coming for the league leaders.

Suddenly the game coming to life as Salah speeds onto the pass from Gakpo, but a brilliant diving stop Alphonse Areola keeps the score level at 0-0. How did that not end up in net?

First big opportunity of the game falls to Lucas Paqueta, but he slips and knocks the finish well wide after Robertson was robbed by Mohammed Kudus, who then played in Jarrod Bowen for the cross. Should be 1-0.

Not exactly a rapid start at the London Stadium with West Ham back in the trenches and the visitors keeping it for fun. Salah then loses the ball in a duel with Wan-Bissaka as the home side look to attack.

West Ham United trying to make some ground in the opening exchanges, but Mohammed Kudus is caught offside as he set off with a bit too much eagerness.

Can't beat a Premier League night like this under the lights in London with the Hammers bidding for an upset win against the league leaders. The home side have only defeated Liverpool once in their past 16 Premier League meetings. Couple of huddles, and West Ham get us moving.

West Ham: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson, Alvarez; Bowen, Soler, Coufal, Kudus, Paqueta Subs: Foderingham, Cresswell, Summerville, Fullkrug, Guilherme, Ings, Todibo, Irving, Scarles

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Gakpo, Diaz Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, McConnell, Danns, Quansah

"I think our away form has been good, but maybe it has a bit to do with the teams you face in the first half of the season," said the Liverpool manager. "So, I think mainly we have faced the teams in the top half of the table at home and the other ones we faced away, so that might have something to do with it. We are strong away from home and at home as well.

"So, I don’t see any reason why we are stronger there than here, [it’s] something we can best judge at the end of the season if we have played every team home and away, to see what fits us best.

"But I think we are a difficult team to beat away from home as in our home games."

Goals from Savinho and Erling Haaland secured victory for Manchester City at Leicester, breaking a run of four matches without a win for the Premier League champions.

It was far from a convincing victory though, with Leicester matching Pep Guardiola's side for good chances created and could have easily got something out of the match.

The crucial moment came midway through the second half when Jamie Vardy failed to guide home Stephy Mavididi's cross from six yards out for an equaliser.

"Are we afraid? No," said Julen Lopetegui, whose Hammers side lost 5-1 in a Carabao Cup match against the Premier League leaders at Anfield in September.

"We have big respect for all teams, but we have the same respect for Southampton and for Liverpool. We are talking about the best team in the Premier League. They have top players and a very good coach.

"We have to believe in our strengths and our opportunity to find solutions for the next challenge. We are happy to have this kind of match at home."

That is the speculation in this morning's Sunday newspapers. Speculation about his future continues to rumble on and the latest headlines suggest the wing-back has informed Liverpool he is ready to leave the club for Real Madrid. Elsewhere, Jarrad Branthwaite has not been offered a new contract at Everton, and Chelsea could replace Renato Veiga with Lecce full-back Patrick Dorgu, but Tottenham are also interested. Read more here

Thierry Henry is the only Premier League player in history to score more than 20 goals and register 20 assists in a single Premier League season. However, this term, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is on track to emulate the Arsenal legend. Salah already has 16 goals and 11 assists to his name this season, and with 21 games left to play, he still has plenty of time to grab yet another record. Read more here