Shearer: one Liverpool call changed everything at West Ham

Writing for BBC Sport, Alan Shearer said the result mattered more than the display after our recent run, but he still highlighted a key turning point.

The former Newcastle striker explained: “Liverpool picked up an important win on Sunday, but I still don’t see the defending champions getting back in the title race now.”

He added that the realistic aim is the top five, saying: “Their aim is probably the Champions League places which is something they should have enough for with the ability in their squad.”

The Premier League record scorer said Arne Slot was under pressure: “It was an important three points because Arne Slot was under pressure and he made a big call to leave Mohamed Salah out, but it worked out for him.”

Shearer also praised Alexander Isak’s long-awaited league breakthrough, describing our No.9’s first Premier League goal for Liverpool as “brilliant” and “a vital one because it changed the game”.

That calmness in front of goal connected directly with the striker’s own attitude, especially in his post-match interview, where he said: “We have to stay focused and keep working hard to keep this momentum.”

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Clinton Morrison also backed the quality of the finish, when he said: “Brilliant from Isak… the finish from Isak is outstanding… it was only a matter of time.”

The breakthrough arrived just after the hour mark, with the Swedish international reacting first after Cody Gakpo hooked a loose ball centrally during the second phase of a long throw.

It was a moment that reminded us why the club broke our transfer record to bring in the former Newcastle man, even with limited fitness – the instincts are there.

Cody Gakpo then sealed the win in stoppage time after another incisive move, while Joe Gomez’s deliveries from the right repeatedly unsettled the home side throughout the afternoon.

The victory moved us to eighth in the table and while Shearer believes the title is likely beyond reach, the former England captain still thinks we carry enough quality to push up the league if we replicate this platform.

Slot’s team showed discipline, control and far more edge than in recent weeks, and even though nobody went overboard in the post-match interviews, this felt like a performance we can finally build from.

The key now is turning one breakthrough into a run because Sunday showed the spark is still there.

You can watch Slot’s post-West Ham press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: