Sam Allardyce deflated by late defeat

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has admitted that his side dropped their intensity and let Liverpool steal victory late on.

The Hammers led 2-1 at the break but slipped to defeat in the closing stages against a spirited Liverpool side.

Allardyce believes that his team struggled to cope once Mohammed Diame went off injured in the second half.

He told BBC Sport: "You are never in control of a game completely against a Liverpool side.

"We've just got promoted and are on a good run of form, but certainly the expectation of the fans are high after beating Chelsea.

"But we knew it would be difficult. What we did in the first half I wanted us to do in the second half. Then we lost Diame with a hamstring injury which didn't help. We lost some of our forward momentum."

Defeat against the Reds means that West Ham slip into the bottom half to occupy 11th place.