West Ham 3-1 Liverpool

Scott Parker inspired West Ham to a victory over Liverpool which lifted the east London side off the bottom of the Premier League table.

Parker produced a lovely dinked effort into the far bottom corner after 22 minutes to give the Hammers the lead.

Demba Ba's guided header into the top corner then left the Reds reeling.

Liverpool's late rally resulted in Glen Johnson tapping in after 84 minutes but Carlton Cole drove in a shot to secure a valuable win for the Hammers.

Parker's half-time words had helped the rouse the Hammers to fight back from 3-0 to draw 3-3 at West Brom in their last league outing and he was again the driving force for his side.

The central midfielder led from the front for the Upton Park side and his team-mates followed his example to produce a performance of grit and guile for just a sixth league win of the season.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish was left shaking his head from the touchlines at times and, despite his side's goal, they raised their game too late as any lingering hopes the Anfield outfit had of launching an assault for a top four spot lay in tatters.

The Hammers had gone into the game having dropped to the bottom of the Premier League table again after Wolves had won on Saturday and there may have been a degree of trepidation as they faced a Liverpool side unbeaten in eight games.

But, despite having the worst home record in the top-flight so far this season, they upped their game after a slow start to help raise the volume inside Upton Park by showing the type of qualities they will need to beat the drop.

There was character and composure as they neatly passed the ball about while smothering any threat Liverpool tried to conjure up, with the dynamism of central midfielders duo Parker and Thomas Hitzlsperger unsettling the visitors.

German Hitzlsperger, nicknamed Der Hammer, is renowned for his powerful left foot strikes and he twice produced well-struck long range efforts which might have tested Reds keeper Reina more had they not been straight at him.

Parker is known for his combative style but showed he also has a delicate touch to his game after playing a one-two with Hitzlsperger and finishing with finesse as he put a strike out of the reach of Reina's despairing dive.

Dirk Kuyt sent a powerful strike into the side-netting and Luis Suarez had a dubious shout for a penalty after a James Tomkins tackle for Liverpool, although the 3-5-2 formation which has helped improve their form under Dalglish was having little impact.

And, after ex-West ham favourites Joe Cole came on for the Merseysiders when wing-back Martin Kelly was forced off with a hamstring injury, the Hammers extended their lead.

Ba beat Danny Wilson, making his Liverpool debut in the Premier League, to a long goal-kick and, after glancing the ball to Gary O'Neil, ran into the area and to convert his team-mate's clipped cross on the stroke of half-time.

The home side's keeper Robert Green was a virtual spectator until the hour mark.

A Steven Gerrard ball round the corner released the previously anonymous Reds striker Suarez and his shot across goal was palmed wide by Green.

A 3-0 win for would have taken West Ham out of the bottom three and Frederic Piquionne should have put that within reach but glanced a Mark Noble corner wide.

The miss might have proved crucial after Suarez produced some skilful play before firing a low cross from which Johnson tapped in to set up an anxious finale for the home side.

But substitute Carlton Cole shrugged off Martin Skrtel and raced through to drive in a left-foot shot which beat Reina at his near post and eased the nerves of Hammers fans.

Source: BBC

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