Top-four bid is five alive

REDS CORNER MARKET TO DEAL NUNO A HAMMER BLOW

- BY CARL MARKHAM

LIVERPOOL'S newfound prowess from corners made it game, set and match in a 5-2 win over West Ham.

The Reds have gone from set-piece failures to the Premier League's inform side - and it proved crucial at Anfield as they maintained their bid for Champions League qualification.

Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister scored from first-half corners, becoming only the second team in the competition's history after Manchester United in 2016 to do so.

Cody Gakpo scored his first goal in eight matches and the nerves were eased when Axel Disasi turned in Jeremie Frimpong's cross after Tomas Soucek and Taty Castellanos had made things a little less comfortable for the hosts.

Liverpool moved level with fourth-placed Manchester United having reduced their goal difference disadvantage to one, while blowing a hole in the Hammers' revival after taking 11 points from 18.

At the turn of the year Arne Slot's side had the worst record in terms of set-piece balance - the difference between goals scored and conceded-leading to the sacking of coach Aaron Briggs. Since New Year's Day they have scored nine and conceded three, the best form of any topflight team in that period.