Key events

88 min Both players are back on their feet.

87 min Summerville and Mac Allister both stay down after a clash of heads. There’s no obvious alarm among the medical staff so you’d imagine they’re just a bit groggy.

86 min That’s 14 goals in the last three league games for Liverpool, 11 of them away from home.

GOAL! West Ham 0-5 Liverpool (Jota 84)

Fullkrug plays a lazy pass that is collected deep in his own half by Salah. He runs 60 yards and pushes the ball outside to Jota, who sweeps a first-time shot back across Areola and into the net. Areola got a hand on it but he couldn’t keep it out. Clinical stuff from a team who, on current form, looked nailed on to win the title.

Jota scores Liverpool’s fifth goal. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters
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82 min Van Dijk, still forward following a free-kick, has a shot from the edge of the area that Areola saves comfortably. The chance came from a thrilling, meandering run by Luis Diaz.

81 min: West Ham substitution Brazilian teenager Luis Guilherme replaces Mohammed Kudus.

80 min Alexander-Arnold’s teasing cross is put behind for a Liverpool corner, from which nothing eventuates.

78 min Kudus’s deflected shot is headed well wide by Wan-Bissaka of all people. A difficult chance.

76 min Salah misses another opportunity, slapping a half-volley over the bar after deftly controlling a beautiful pass from Alexander-Arnold. Maybe he needs more jeopardy to be at his most clinical.

75 min Tsimikas does really well to beat Fullkrug to Summerville’s cross in the six-yard box. Kudus hits the bar moments later with a header from Irving’s cross – the flag went up but it looked really tight, probably onside.

74 min: Double substitution for Liverpool Kostas Tsimikas and Harvey Elliott replace Andy Robertson and Curtis Jones.

73 min: West Ham substitution Andy Irving comes on for Carlos Soler.

71 min Diogo Jota almost makes me look a total plonker, rattling a snapshot that is well saved by the diving Areola.

71 min Liverpool are starting to wind down, knowing their work is done for the day. They wouldn’t say no to more goals but nor are they playing with the same urgency they showed in the first half.

68 min Liverpool’s next game is at home to Manchester United a week today. West Ham go to the Etihad on Saturday.

66 min Summerville zips past Quansah in the area and visits the canvas, but there wasn’t much contact and play continues. Liverpool break and Salah curls just wide of the far post; he could easily have had a hat-trick tonight.

64 min Robertson loses the ball, wins it back and blooters over the bar from 25 yards.

62 min Jota gives Salah a shooting chance, one that he surprisingly declines by trying to find Jones instead. The pass is overhit and Areola claims.

60 min: West Ham substitution It gets worse for West Ham. Jarrod Bowen is limping off to be replaced by Crysencio Summerville. He was hurt during a tackle from Alexis Mac Allister, although he did try to continue so hopefully it isn’t too bad.

58 min: Liverpool substitutions Wataru Endo and Diogo Jota replace Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo, who are both a booking away from suspension.

57 min Liverpool have scored nine goals against West Ham this season: five at Anfield in the Milk Cup and four today.

GOAL! West Ham 0-4 Liverpool (Alexander-Arnold 54)

It’s four. Trent Alexander-Arnold pings a shot from 25 yards that takes a deflection off the noggin of Kilman and wrongfoots Areola. The keeper had no chance.

Alexander-Arnold scores Liverpool’s fourth goal. Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty Images2024 Liverpool FC
Alexander-Arnold celebrates with teammate Jones. Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty Images2024 Liverpool FC
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50 min Salah splashes a shot wide of the near post from a tight angle. He looks ravenous, even though he’s already made one and scored one.

48 min This is West Ham’s revised team.

West Ham (5-4-1) Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Mavropanos, Emerson; Bowen, Paqueta, Soler, Kudus; Fullkrug.

47 min A chance straight away for Salah, who is put through on goal by a beautiful pass from Mac Allister. Salah shapes a curler across goal and the diving Areola palms it behind. Although West Ham are 3-0 down, Areola has arguably been their best player.

Areola saves a shot from Salah. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
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46 min Liverpool begin the second half.

Half-time substitutions West Ham are bringing on Jean-Clair Todibo and Niclas Fullkrug for Edson Alvarez and Vladimir Coufal. That means a switch to a back five.

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Half-time listening (optional)

Half-time reading

Half time: West Ham 0-3 Liverpool

Liverpool’s glorious romp continues. Since dropping four points to Newcastle and Fulham, a couple of results that really should have signalled the start of squeaky-bum time, they have scored 12 goals in two and a half league games. All three forwards scored in an exhilarating first half at the London Stadium, and they would be even further ahead but for some excellent goalkeeping by Alphonse Areola.

Weird things can happen in football – Liverpool were 12th on Boxing Day in 1981 and won the title – but right now they look like the best team in Europe, never mind England.

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45+2 min Salah almost makes it 4-0 on the break, poking a shot from a tight angle that is blocked by Areola. Liverpool have been devastatingly good in this first half.

Mac Allister won the ball high up the field and gave it to Jones, who found Salah on the far side, 18 yards from goal. He took a touch and dragged a low shot that went through the hand of the diving Areola at the near post. I suspect Areola was expecting a trademark curler towards the far post, which is why he was slightly slow to react.

GOAL! West Ham 0-3 Liverpool (Salah 44)

And it’s goodnight from West Ham. Mo Salah has rattled his 20th goal of the season to put Liverpool 3-0 up!

Salah scores Liverpool’s third goal. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
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42 min As things stand Liverpool are eight points clear of Nottingham Forest with a game in hand. They are romping towards their 20th league title.

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Mac Allister clipped a lofted ball down the right towards Salah, who knew he was offside and left it to Diaz. He squared it into the area for Salah, who turned Mavropanos gloriously* and poked the ball across to give Gakpo a simple finish. Brilliant.

* If he meant it. I’m not sure he did, but even if that was the case he reacted brilliantly

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GOAL! West Ham 0-2 Liverpool (Gakpo 40)

It could have been 1-1; instead it’s 2-0!

Gakpo celebrates scoring. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters
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38 min: Kudus hits the post! He’s been West Ham’s brightest spark by a distance and that would have been a lovely goal. He cut inside from the right, played a quick one-two with Paqueta and moved to within 25 yards of goal before driving a fine low shot that beat the diving Alisson and hit the inside of the right-hand post.

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37 min: Liverpool substitution Gomez off, Quansah on. That’s a blow for Liverpool as Gomez has been in excellent form.

36 min Joe Gomez is down with what looks like a hamstring problem. Jarell Quansah is getting ready to come on.

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