Clouds gathering over Arne's trip to London

ELEVEN months ago yesterday things were going so well for Arne Slot's Liverpool as they faced off against today's opponents West Ham.

- BY MARK JONES

The Reds rolled into east London on a crest of a wave, flying high at home and in Europe and pulling eight points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 5-0 win over the Hammers.

Luis Diaz, starting centrally but drifting in dangerously from the left, opened the scoring with a smart finish after an incisive run.

Mo Salah then took over, showing all the skills that would lead to him sweeping the Footballer of the Year awards when he pirouetted away from Konstantinos Mavropanos, nutmegged Max Kilman and put it on a plate for Cody Gakpo to score. Four minutes later Salah scored himself.

In the second half, Trent Alexander-Arnold would make it 4-0 with a shot from distance, responding with a gesture suggesting that he was blocking out the noise about his own, much-discussed future.