West Ham United picked up a well-deserved point against Liverpool in the Premier League to stem a run of losses that have sparked a frenzy of speculation surrounding the future of David Moyes', who is out of contract at the end of the campaign.
Moyes' reign may well be drawing to a conclusion but the 61-year-old will have been delighted with the zest and zeal of his team's performance, lingering just outside the top seven with three matches left to play.
This result will need to be used as a launchpad for a late-stage purple patch but with Jarrod Bowen fit and firing in the English top-flight, anything is possible.
Jarrod Bowen's performance vs Liverpool
Bowen had missed recent Premier League defeats against Fulham and Crystal Palace but he made his presence known on his return from injury today, popping up with key contributions in both of his outfit's strikes.
Minutes played
90'
Goals
1
Assists
1
Touches
32
Accurate passes
5/9 (52%)
Shots on target
3
Key passes
1
Dribble attempts
2/5
Tackles
1
Interceptions
1
Duels won
7/14
Bowen produced yet another talismanic display for his side against Jurgen Klopp's struggling side and will be the main asset in the late-season fight for a European-qualifying spot.
Perhaps the most interesting part of Bowen's performance is that he completed only five passes despite playing the full 90 minutes.
Still, a goal and an assist apiece is hardly a bad day's work, taking his seasonal tally to 20 goals and ten assists in all competitions.
His Midas touch in the key moments proved his worth yet again and spared the blushes of a few of his teammates, with Edson Alvarez struggling to perform and looking very much out of sorts.
Edson Alvarez's game in numbers vs Liverpool
Alvarez, largely, has been a tremendous addition to the West Ham team this season following his £35m signing from Ajax last summer, effectively replacing Arsenal-bound Declan Rice, praised for being West Ham's "best summer signing" by The Athletic's Roshane Thomas.
In the Premier League, the Mexico international has featured 29 times, scoring one goal and supplying one assist, also playing a key part in Moyes' side's Europa League campaign.
And while, against Liverpool, Alvarez, completed 83% of his touches, made five tackles and won eight of 14 contested duels, as per Sofascore, he also committed two fouls, lost the ball 11 times and was dribbled past in the centre of the park.
Failing to take control, The Evening Standard's Malik Ouzia branded Alvarez with a 5/10 match rating, writing: 'By no means his best display since signing for West Ham in the summer. The Mexican looked off the pace.'
Given Alvarez's recent struggles in damaging recent defeats, Moyes might be tempted to rest the player for next weekend's fixture against Chelsea in the Premier League, perhaps giving Kalvin Phillips another chance to prove himself during his loan stint in east London.
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ByAngus Sinclair Mar 23, 2024
Alvarez certainly has a prominent future at West Ham but he's not undroppable and he needs to pick himself back up after a recent decline in form.