Isak scores first Premier League goal for Liverpool to sink West Ham; Zirkzee inspires Utd to victory at Palace

Alexander Isak finally scored his first Premier League goal for troubled Liverpool to inspire a much-needed 2-0 win against West Ham on Sunday.

Isak had failed to score in his five top-flight appearances since making a British record £125 million ($165 million) move from Newcastle in September.

The Sweden forward banished that drought at the London Stadium with only his second goal in 11 games in all competitions for the Reds, following his maiden strike in a League Cup win against second-tier Southampton.

Cody Gakpo bagged Liverpool’s second goal in stoppage time to secure their first win in four games in all competitions.

Hampered by injuries and a lack of match fitness after missing pre-season due to his protracted transfer saga, Isak was on target in the league for the first time since netting for Newcastle against Brighton in May.

The end of the 26-year-old’s 10-match goal drought for club and country was a ray of hope for Liverpool amid a dismal campaign.

A 4-1 humiliation against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League in midweek was Liverpool’s third successive defeat by three goals or more following 3-0 league losses against Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.

Liverpool had lost nine of their previous 12 games -- their worst run since 1953-54 -- including six defeats from seven league matches.

With pressure beginning to mount on boss Arne Slot, this scrappy victory was a welcome tonic as Liverpool climbed to eighth place.

Slot is adamant he hasn’t lost the backing of his players, but he has struggled to get the best out of Mohamed Salah since the closing months of last season.

Salah has scored just five times in all competitions this season and Slot responded by dropping the Egypt forward to the bench for the third time this season.

Isak looked set for another frustrating afternoon when he blazed woefully over from the edge of the area in the opening minutes.

West Ham paid an emotional tribute to Billy Bonds with a minute’s applause in memory of their legendary former captain and manager, who died on Sunday aged 79.

The tough-tackling Bonds would have appreciated struggling West Ham’s spirited start, but Liverpool eventually took charge.

Isak was foiled by a superb save from Alphonse Areola, who kept out his close-range bicycle kick.

Meanwhile, Joshua Zirkzee scored his first Premier League goal for nearly a year before Mason Mount grabbed the winner as Manchester United came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 on Sunday.

Ruben Amorim’s side trailed to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s first half penalty at Selhurst Park, but Zirkzee and Mount netted after the interval to secure United’s first win in four games. United recovered from their lacklustre start thanks to Zirkzee’s first goal in the Premier League since he netted against Everton in December 2024.

The much-maligned Dutch striker had gone 24 league games without a goal, adding to perception that his £36 million ($47.7million) move from Bologna in 2024 was a bad investment.

Zirkzee, 24, had failed to score in his eight previous appearances dating back to April.

Plagued by injuries, Mount has also struggled since joining United from Chelsea and this was just his second goal this season.

Beaten by Everton’s 10 men at Old Trafford on Monday, United’s first victory since October was a much-needed boost for Amorim.

The fact that is was Palace’s first defeat at Selhurst Park in the Premier League since February 15 underlined the challenge of United’s gritty fightback in freezing south London.

Amorim had said this week that there were “no excuses” for United’s sputtering start to the season after last term’s troubles.

He will have been relieved to see United dig deep to subdue the FA Cup holders, who have proved a thorn in the side of the Premier League elite since Oliver Glasner took charge.