Liverpool 2 West Ham 2: Slaven Bilic's Hammers earn valuable Anfield draw to climb out of relegation zone

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Vaishali Bhardwaj11 December 2016

West Ham secured a vital point at Anfield after the Hammers came from behind to secure a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday.

Adam Lallana had handed Jurgen Klopp's side the lead within five minutes before Dimitri Payet levelled the score with his free kick just before the half-hour mark.

Michail Antonio then fired past Loris Karius six minutes before the half-time break to hand the Hammers an unlikely lead, but Liverpool rescued a point as Divock Origi’s 48th-minute effort ensured the disappointment of defeat against Bournemouth wasn't repeated against the Hammers.

Despite coming into the game at Anfield off the back of a humbling 4-3 loss away to Bournemouth last weekend, Liverpool began the match strongly and were rewarded within just five minutes when Sadio Mane's cross found Lallana in the area.

The midfielder had the time and space to twist and send a half-volley into the corner of the net as West Ham's defence stood stunned to the spot.

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Despite the blow, the Hammers upped their tempo and began to pressurise the hosts - with Antonio, back in the starting line-up following his recovery from injury - testing Karius with a shot, which the Liverpool goalkeeper superbly kept out.

But Karius was to come under more criticism when he failed to keep out Payet's 27th-minute free kick, which had been awarded for Lallana's foul on Pedro Obiang.

The Frenchman's effort flew over the Liverpool wall and towards the left-hand corner of the goal and, although Karius got his fingertips to the ball, it continued its flight into the back of the net to hand West Ham their equaliser.

Liverpool responded by going on the attack, but they were then left stunned just 12 minutes later when Havard Nordtveit sent a ball into the area, which took a deflection off Jordan Henderson, and dropped in front of Joel Matip.

The defender, who returned to Jurgen Klopp's starting line-up after recovering from an ankle injury, was left wrong-footed which allowed Antonio to nip in, come face-to-face with Karius before driving his shot past the Liverpool goalkeeper and into the net.

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The goal marked a remarkable turnaround for West Ham akin to Bournemouth against Liverpool last weekend, but the home side would have felt aggrieved when Payet's pull on Lallana in the box down the other end of the pitch didn't result in a penalty kick just before the break.

The Reds returned after the break with more urgency, though, and they went ahead in the 48th minute when Mane got past Aaron Cresswell on the left flank and delivered a ball into the area, which Randolph failed to hold onto. The ball subsequently fell to Origi, who drove home from close range to make it 2-2.

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Liverpool looked in a rampant mood and could have re-taken the lead moments later when Mane teed up Georginio Wijnaldum, who could only shoot wide.

The hosts didn't relieve the pressure on their opposition - with Henderson forcing Darren Randolph into a brilliant save with his long-range effort. But despite all of their subsequent chances at goal, Liverpool could not find a winner as West Ham held on to secure a point that lifts the club out of the relegation zone. Liverpool, meanwhile, remain in third place.

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