21 Sep 2014

Winston Reid's West Ham stun Liverpool

8:02 am on 21 September 2014

The All Whites captain Winston Reid scored in the second minute as West Ham United stunned last year's runners-up Liverpool 3-1 in their English Premier League football clash.

West Ham United's New Zealand defender Winston Reid (L) and midfielder Kevin Nolan (R)

West Ham United's New Zealand defender Winston Reid (L) and midfielder Kevin Nolan (R) Photo: AFP

The win lifts the Hammers to 8th while Liverpool drop to 10th.

The a surprise away loss raises fresh questions about whether Liverpool have the defence required to win the Premier League.

Brendan Rogers' men were 2-0 down inside seven minutes at Upton Park.

The visitors failed to deal with James Tomkins' knock down and Winston Reid turned the ball in to put the Hammers 1-0 up in the second minute.

And the London side doubled their lead minutes later when Senegal forward Diafra Sakho's intended cross beat everyone, including Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Defensive errors cost Liverpool the title when they finished runners-up to champions Manchester City last term and they've now lost three of five league games this season.

But they remain a potent attacking force and England winger Raheem Sterling pulled a goal back with an unstoppable shot from inside the box in the 26th minute after Mario Balotelli's initial effort was blocked.

Substitute Morgan Amalfitano made the game safe for Sam Allardyce's West Ham side two minutes from time when he latched on to former Liverpool winger Stewart Downing's through-ball before finding the far corner.

Earlier, Arsenal stopped Aston Villa going top of the table courtesy of a 3-0 win, with the much-criticised Mesut Ozil on target as the gunners climbed into the top four.

Villa had conceded just one league goal in their previous four league matches but all that changed as Arsenal fired in three inside four minutes at Villa Park.

Ozil put the Gunners in front in the 32nd minute and former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck scored his first Arsenal goal two minutes later before Villa's Aly Cissokho turned the ball into his own net.

Newcastle moved off the bottom of the table and eased the pressure on manager Alan Pardew by coming from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at home to Hull, with substitute Papiss Cisse scoring both the Magpies' goals inside the final 15 minutes.

Southampton went second with a 1-0 away to a Swansea side who had to play more than half the match a man down after Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony was sent off.

QPR and Stoke shared the points in a 2-2 draw at Loftus Road while honours were also even in the goalless stalemate between Burnley and Sunderland.