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Bizarre reason Liverpool vs West Ham clash was suddenly delayed for five minutes just moments before kick-off explained

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Bizarre reason Liverpool vs West Ham clash was suddenly delayed for five minutes just moments before kick-off explained.

Liverpool welcomed West Ham to Anfield on Sunday afternoon in what was meant to be a 2pm kick-off.

The Hammers and the Reds face off in game week six of the Premier League after getting their Europa League campaigns off to winning starts with respective 3-1 comeback victories in midweek.

David Moyes was sweating on Jarrod Bowen before the game.

But as reported by Hammers News, Bowen passed a fitness test to return to the starting XI.

Liverpool’s big doubt, Trent Alexander-Arnold, was not deemed fit enough.

Liverpool FC v West Ham United - Premier League
Photo by Dave Howarth – CameraSport via Getty Images

Bizarre reason Liverpool vs West Ham clash was suddenly delayed for five minutes just moments before kick-off explained

Liverpool at home is always a daunting task for any side. And historically the Hammers have struggled there.

Fans unable to attend or watch the game, though, may be wondering why the game didn’t start when it was scheduled to.

Now the bizarre reason the Liverpool vs West Ham clash was suddenly delayed for five minutes just moments before kick-off can be explained.

As West Ham, in their all white strip, lined up against the Reds with James Ward-Prowse ready to get the game underway, the referee Chris Kavanagh called a halt.

Liverpool FC v West Ham United - Premier League
Photo by Dave Howarth – CameraSport via Getty Images

Robot ref: Technical issues with man in black saw Liverpool vs West Ham kick-off delayed

The official then made his way to the touchline amid puzzled looks from the West Ham and Liverpool players.

The fourth official and a Premier League technician then hoisted up Kavanagh’s sleeves and spent five long minutes changing the communications equipment about his person.

A plethora of wires and packs were fiddled with and a test carried out to see if the referee could hear the comms from his assistants and the VAR hub.

But he couldn’t and they had to take another look.

Liverpool FC v West Ham United - Premier League
Photo by Dave Howarth – CameraSport via Getty Images

Fans jeered officials and chanted ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’

Eventually the issue was sorted just as the West Ham and Liverpool fans inside the ground had started a chorus of jeers and chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’.

Play then kicked off five minutes late at 2.05pm.

It did not seem to impact West Ham who started the game very brightly indeed. Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio had brilliant chances to give the visitors the lead.

But they went begging and Liverpool went in front after Nayef Aguerd gave away a penalty with a laboured trip on Mo Salah.

West Ham were deservedly level just before half-time, though, when Bowen scored a wonderful diving header from a Vladimr Coufal cross.

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