Manuel Pellegrini made a tactical masterstroke by negating the attacking qualities of Andrew Robertson through West Ham’s use of “outstanding” Michail Antonio, according to Tony Cascarino.
Writing for the Times, the talkSPORT pundit and former striker explained how the Hammers boss perfectly set up his team to keep Liverpool at arm’s length.
“Michail Antonio was outstanding for West Ham, but the whole team were set up well to negate Liverpool’s threat. They had worked them out,” Cascarino explained. “Antonio’s role on the right was to sit tight with Andy Robertson, to prevent the left back from getting forward and then keep him occupied in the other direction, and he did it brilliantly, swapping positions with Felipe Anderson when the opportunity allowed.
“West Ham knew where the visitors wanted to get to and they stopped it happening, forcing Roberto Firmino to drop deep — almost to the toes of his own back four — in search of the ball. Liverpool were disjointed but West Ham played a big part in that.”
OPINION
Robertson has been one of Liverpool’s outstanding players this season, but Antonio certainly helped keep him quiet in alliance with Ryan Fredericks on the West Ham right flank. Antonio’s athleticism and energy were integral to a Hammers game plan that centred on denying the space that the Scotland left-back uses to great effect down the side on the overlap. Robertson has assisted seven goals this season, most memorably the brilliantly-conceived equaliser at Manchester City, and is vital to Liverpool’s attacking as well as defending. Credit to Pellegrini for wising up to that, after West Ham were destroyed at Anfield on the opening weekend of the season. Antonio has not always been in favour this campaign, either with the manager or the supporters, but he rose to the occasion at the London Stadium and followed his manager’s instructions perfectly.