Analysis: Liverpool

Liverpool set up in a 4-3-3 formation and looked to dominate possession throughout the game. The usual front three of Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane were supported in midfield by Georginio Wijnaldum, who tended to hold a deeper position, and Naby Keita and James Milner, who were involved in more of the attacking play.

The Reds looked to utilise the space in behind the West Ham defence, and this strategy created several opportunities in the first half. They improved the quality and variety of this threat by using one or two of the front three to drop in between the lines, with the third looking to make his run in behind. This forced the visitors’ defensive line to drop to nullify this threat, thus creating the shorter option to the player in between the lines.

Milner played an interesting role in the midfield unit, often drifting out to the right-hand side, where he helped to create an overload with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Salah, Wijnaldum and occasionally even Firmino. West Ham failed to react to this strategy, as was evident in the build-up to the second goal eventually scored by Mane.

Liverpool initiated their usual high press out of possession, but with West Ham sending the ball directly to the forwards on regular occasions, this became less and less possible as the game wore on. The Reds used their intense defensive style only in the form of a counter-press when they lost possession. Their counter-press was generally successful and forced the Hammers into several errors.

When Liverpool were in their defensive shape, they operated in a 4-3-3 – the same structure as in the attacking phase. Wijnaldum played as the central player, while Milner and Keita were responsible for pressing in wide areas, which allowed Liverpool to maintain a line of four behind. The Reds ultimately ran into few difficulties in their biggest opening-day victory at Anfield for 86 years.