WATCH: Liverpool Routs West Ham at Anfield
Liverpool completed an unbeaten February with a 4-1 win over West Ham at Anfield.
Goals from Emre Can, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino sealed all three points for the Reds while a consolation goal from substitute Michail Antonio offered false hope for the Hammers.
JurgenKlopp made one change from the team who beat Southampton 2-0 last Sunday, bringing James Milner in for GiniWijnaldum.
The game marked the 25th anniversary since England and West Ham lost one of their footballing legends Sir Bobby Moore. Every West Ham fan was given a special t-shirt in his memory, while Manuel Lanzini and Patrice Evra came into Saturday's Hammers' starting lineup.
Evra's Hammers debut was a big talking point before kick off as he returned to face the team involved in the Luis Suarez racism scandal while the Frenchman was a Manchester United player.
Liverpool started very brightly and Salah hit the post within the opening three minutes. Firmino cut the ball inside the penalty box for the Egyptian to run onto and canon the ball off the base of the post. Replays showed Adrian made a fantastic save with his fingertips to turn the shot onto the woodwork.
A moment of genius from Marko Arnautovic saw the opposing goals' woodwork shaking in the 15th minute. The Austrian was too strong for Joel Matip and got past him way too easily before lobbing the ball over Loris Karius from 20 yards out. Replays showed the German keeper matched his opposite number with another fantastic fingertip save onto the crossbar.
Liverpool then scored their 100th goal of the season as Can peeled off his marker from a corner in the 29th minute and headed home from six yards out at the back post. Salah had been delivering quality deliveries all afternoon and it finally paid off after poor marking from the Hammers.
Arnautovic was playing really well for the Hammers and was a real threat holding the ball up as a lone striker. He stung the palms of Karius with a swerving knuckle-ball shot from distance with three minutes until half time.
The teams came out from their half time team talks and Liverpool began to run riot. Salah turned from provider to scorer when netting his 31st goal of the season. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain to dribble through around five Hammers players before the Egyptian marksman clinically finished to double Liverpool's lead.
Can chipped a ball in behind the West Ham defense which Adrian came racing out to meet but missed it and instead slid through his own man Pablo Zabaleta. Firmino jogged past and duly passed the ball into the empty net without looking to all but confirm the three points with under an hour gone.
West Ham decided to throw on Antonio and he got a goal back instantly. Cheikhou Kouyate played him through as the Liverpool defense was caught napping after their goal and the substitute expertly finished low past Karius to reduce the deficit.
The game was becoming very open and Oxlade Chamberlain raced down the right hand side to cut the ball back but Salah placed the ball straight into the hands of the West Ham goalkeeper. One minute later and Adrian was again called into action, this time smothering the ball at Firmino's feet.
Oxlade Chamberlain had a fantastic game in midfield and he almost gained another assist when he fed Mane through. He was only remaining member of Liverpool's attacking trio yet to score a goal but with all the time in the world to pick his spot, the Senegalese international watched his shot bounce off the side off the post after beating Adrian.
Mane then did get his goal in the 77th minute and atoned for his earlier miss. Andy Robertson fired a wonderful low cross along the face of goal for the winger to cheekily dink over the onrushing goalkeeper and make it 4-1.
They may only be second for a matter of hours as Manchester United and Chelsea face off on Sunday afternoon, but it's certainly a massive achievement for the Reds. West Ham on the other hand drop to 14th.
