Football news - Late Mane winner saves Liverpool embarrassment against West Ham

Liverpool moved 22 points clear at the Premier League summit thanks to a rollercoaster 3-2 victory over struggling West Ham at Anfield.

The Merseysiders got off to the perfect start through Georginio Wijnaldum's ninth minute header, but were pegged back when Issa Diop nodded in Robert Snodgrass' corner 174 seconds later.

The Hammers then threatened the Reds' bid for an 'invincible' top-flight campaign when substitute Pablo Fornals steered the visitors in front nine minutes into the second half.

Liverpool inevitably stepped it up a gear and levelled when Mohamed Salah's shot squirmed underneath Lukasz Fabianski, before Sadio Mane won it with a cool finish nine minutes from time.

The result means Jurgen Klopp's men are now 44 league matches unbeaten and have equalled Manchester City's all-time English top-flight record of 18 wins in a row.

The Reds need just four victories from their last 11 fixtures to guarantee a maiden Premier League crown and a first league title since 1990.

In stark contrast, the defeat means the Hammers have lost four of their last five league games and leaves them in 18th place.

Next up, Liverpool visit Watford on Saturday while the Hammers go in search of a much-needed win at home to Southampton.

Liverpool once again find a way - and now there's four to go. There's not much praise you can heap on this red machine that hasn't already been done so some time ago. This was far from routine, but this team always seem to find a way. Indeed, Liverpool's Sat Nav remains firmly centred upon on a direct route to a 19th league title in their history. A staggering 26th win in 27 Premier League matches this term is just one of the latest jaw-dropping stats they have racked up. The unbeaten and winning sequences go on while a 21st successive league victory at Anfield equals their own English top-flight record for consecutive home wins, set between January and December 1972. It's turned into a title procession and there are certain dates circled on Kopites' calendars. If Man City slip up, Everton away on March 16 would represent a sweet place to achieve their dreams. If not, Crystal Palace at Anfield five days later (subject to FA Cup progress) could be the big day. Of course, Watford and Bournemouth will hope to put a spanner in the works in between, but it seems highly likely the coronation is not far away now. Watch this space.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool). The home side's major creative force throughout. The right back's delivery is quite sensational and he chipped in with another couple of assists here to help his team towards yet another victory.

LIVERPOOL: Alisson 7, Alexander-Arnold 9, Robertson 8, Van Dijk 7, Gomez 7, Fabinho 6, Keita 6, Wijnaldum 7, Mane 7, Salah 7, Firmino 6. Subs: Oxlade-Chamberlain 7, Matip n/a.

WEST HAM: Fabianski 6, Cresswell 7, Ngakia 7, Diop 7, Ogbonna 7, Noble 7, Rice 7, Soucek 7, Snodgrass 7, Anderson 7, Antonio 7. Subs: Fornals 7, Haller 6, Bowen n/a.

9' - GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 West Ham. Wijnaldum guides a super header into the corner from Trent Alexander Arnold's whipped right-wing cross. Fabianski got a hand to it, but couldn't keep it out.

12' - GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 West Ham. The Hammers hit back straight away. Diop meets Snodgrass' corner from the right and manages to squeeze it beyond Alisson at the near post.

39' - LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Alexander-Arnold's free kick hits Antonio in the wall and flies a few yards wide. The full back takes the resulting corner and van Dijk sees a header clip the top of the bar. Close.

54' - GOAL! Liverpool 1-2 West Ham. The Hammers lead! Fornals guides Rice's right-wing cross into the far corner to silence Anfield.

68' - GOAL! Liverpool 2-2 West Ham. Salah's low strike from Robertson's cut back somehow squirms under Fabianski and over the line. The league leaders are level!

74' - LIVERPOOL CHANCE! How has that stayed out? Fabianski denies Salah and Firmino somehow hits the far post from point-blank range.

81' - GOAL! Liverpool 3-2 West Ham. Mane coolly guides into an empty net after Alexander-Arnold had beaten Fabianski to a deflected shot before squaring it for the Senegalese hitman.

88' - WEST HAM CHANCE! Bowen makes a super run to latch on to Antonio's through pass, but can't beat Alisson with a clipped effort.

Liverpool have scored more headed goals than any other Premier League side this season (14).

There were just 174 seconds between Liverpool opening the scoring and West Ham equalising through Issa Diop.

Mané has been directly involved in eight goals in his last six Premier League appearances against West Ham (5 goals, 3 assists), scoring in each of his last four against the Hammers.

Only Cesc Fabregas (20y 134d) and Wayne Rooney (21y 63d) have reached 25 Premier League assists at a younger age than Trent Alexander-Arnold (21y 140d).

Since his Premier League debut in August 2014, Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson has registered 27 assists in the competition, more than any other defender in that time.