Liverpool Below Elite Standard Despite Win

While the emphatic scoreline against West Ham suggested Liverpool's dominance, underlying metrics reveal a more complex reality. With an xG of just 1.75 against West Ham's 1.84, the victory was more about efficiency than control, largely thanks to three first-half goals from corners.

Slot's team has shifted from an initial 'PSG-lite' approach focused on continental fluidity to a more pragmatic style that emphasizes set-pieces. Despite a £450m summer rebuild aimed at technical dominance, Liverpool's most reliable weapon has become dead-ball situations, while defensive vulnerabilities in transition and midfield balance issues persist.