Super sub Jota sends Liverpool the surface of the Premier League
Jurgen Klopp hailed Liverpool's capability to look for a way to win after Diogo Jota came off the bench to score the winner 5 minutes from time to beat West Ham 2-1 on Saturday.
Like so often in their first title-winning campaign for 30 years last season, Liverpool left it late to snatch all three points but their patience and persistence was rewarded at Anfield to go three points clear at the top.
"Football is always about finding the right way, and tonight the boys found it," said Klopp.
"It's so hard with the number of games we have. Seeing the determination and desire of the boys, the will to play football, to deal with setbacks is absolutely exceptional."
Liverpool again felt the lack of Virgil van Dijk in defence as Pablo Fornals took benefit of a depleted backline to give West Ham the lead on 10 minutes.
Nathaniel Phillips made his league debut for the champions in the centre of the defence with Joel Matip and Fabinho also out injured.
Nonetheless it was Liverpool's other first-choice centre-back Joe Gomez who was at fault for the opening goal as his misplaced header went straight to Fornals, whose low shot found the bottom corner via the within of the post.
Klopp's men have now conceded more goals than any other side in the Premier League this year and happen to be Manchester City next weekend in a clash between your two sides which may have dominated English football for days gone by three years.
Yet, Liverpool still top the table because of their firepower and capability to react from going behind.
For the third time in seven Premier League games this season they came from an objective down to win.
West Ham have been on an extraordinary unbeaten run in the league, taking eight points from games against Wolves, Leicester, Tottenham and Manchester City in the last month.
The visitors sat in doggedly to guard their lead, but gave Liverpool a route back to the game 3 minutes before half-time when Mohamed Salah made the most of Arthur Masuaku's challenge to win a penalty.
"I'm amazed that a penalty was presented with in the first half. I can't assume that we're allowing those types of penalties to be awarded," said Hammers boss David Moyes.
"It's a good sign that we're disappointed not to take anything from Anfield. The players are disappointed never to get anything from the overall game."
Salah smashed home his 14th consecutive successful spot-kick to bring the Reds level and ward off a potential first league defeat at Anfield since April 2017.
Masuaku practically made amends early in the second-half investing in a minimal cross for Fornals who could only shoot tamely in to the arms of Alisson Becker.
However, almost all the action was still occurring in the West Ham half as Liverpool penned the visitors back.
Klopp considered Jota and Shaqiri for inspiration off the bench and the changes worked to perfection.
"Obviously I loved the next goal," added Klopp. "It had been super play. Shaq's in incredible form right now, and Diogo Jota obviously."
Jota thought he previously scored the winner earlier as he smashed home a loose ball after Sadio Mane clashed with Lukasz Fabianski and Angelo Ogbonna, but the goal was eliminated for a foul by the Senegalese.
The Portuguese did eventually register his fourth goal in seven Liverpool appearances since joining from Wolves in September as he kept his head with a cool finish from Shaqiri's brilliant pass to start the mass ranks of West Ham defence.
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