Liverpool eased to a 3-0 win over West Ham at Anfield, leaving the Hammers just three games to secure their top-flight survival. The Reds may not have been at their best but they did not need to be against a disappointing West Ham performance.
Liverpool move back into sixth place in the Premier League with the first goal arriving after 19 minutes.
Steven Gerrard sent over a trademark free kick with pace, which Yossi Benayoun diverted into goal via his chest. Out of respect to his former club the Israeli's goal celebrations were suitably muted.
The host's continued to dominate and just before the half-hour doubled their advantage.
This time David Ngog converted from a Maxi Rodriguez cross as the Hammers record of never having won at Anfield in 47 never looked in danger of being broken.
The third goal after the break typified the type of luck teams at the wrong end of the table seem to enjoy.
A Sotiros Kyrgiakos header came back off a post and in off the leg of unfortunate Hammers keeper Robert Green, to be credited as an own goal.
For West Ham it was their seventh defeat in the last nine games and they remain three points above the drop zone, having played a game more than third-from-bottom Hull but having a vastly superior goal difference.
For Liverpool, qualification for the Champions League is still a faint possibility as they now lie five points adrift of fourth place.
