The future of West Ham boss Avram Grant was plunged into deeper uncertainty after a 3-0 defeat at Liverpool.
Speculation mounts over patience of Sullivan and Gold
The future of Avram Grant as West Ham manager was plunged into deeper uncertainty following a horribly lifeless 3-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.
Glen Johnson, who was under pressure to perform on his return to fitness, a Dirk Kuyt penalty and a Maxi Rodriguez header ensured the game was as good as over by half-time.
The three points also eased the troubles of Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson after last weekend's defeat at Stoke, but the wider implications focused upon the position of Grant, whose side now sit five points from safety at the foot of the Premier League.
Anfield fans chanted, 'you're getting sacked in the morning' at West Ham's boss and it remains to be seen whether the patience of co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold will remain after a winless run in the league was stretched to eight matches.
It was hardly a proper test of being able to cope without talisman Steven Gerrard but Liverpool did more than enough to dispose of a woeful West Ham.
With the captain out for a month with a hamstring tear manager Hodgson called for his players to step up to fill the void and the league's bottom side provide the perfect opposition.
Raul Meireles looked better in a more accustomed central position, filling Gerrard's place, while Johnson and Rodriguez also did well and even the much-criticised Christian Poulsen had his best game since joining in the summer.
If there was one criticism it was that Hodgson's side eased up so much after the break they lost all the momentum and rhythm built up in the first half.
But they never looked in danger of conceding and the clean sheet was Jose Reina's 134th in all competitions, taking him past Tommy Lawrence into fourth on the club's all-time list.
Message
West Ham's league record at Anfield is woeful, as they have not won this fixture for 47 years and scored just four Premier League goals in 16 attempts.
The writing was on wall early on as David Ngog forced Robert Green into a low save to his left before Rodriguez and Fernando Torres both fired wide.
Green's goal was being peppered even if the goalkeeper was not being properly extended but that changed in the 18th minute when Raul Meireles' long-range effort was tipped over by the England international.
Meireles swung over the corner and Johnson chested it down before drilling a low shot straight down the middle of the goal with the goalkeeper unsighted by Danny Gabbidon.
It was the first time since the opening weekend of the season a Liverpool goal had not been scored or created by Torres or Gerrard.
England full-back Johnson, criticised by manager Roy Hodgson earlier this month for his poor form, appeared to have got the message on his comeback from a three-match injury absence.
He was a major force down the right in the first half and his cross set up Torres but he uncharacteristically fluff his first-time shot.
But the Spain international contributed to the second goal as it was his flick into the penalty area which bounced off Matthew Upson on to the arm of Gabbidon, allowing Kuyt to roll home a 27th-minute penalty.
Worries
Gabbidon was better placed to hook Torres' volley away from an empty net after Green failed to properly clear a Meireles free-kick.
The goalkeeper did better in blocking Torres' shot with his legs but was powerless to stop Paul Konchesky whipping in the rebound to the unmarked Rodriguez, the smallest man in the penalty area, who guided the ball inside the far post with his head.
When Victor Obinna blasted a shot from close range into the top tier of the Anfield Road stand despondent Hammers fans replied with, 'that's why we're going down'.
The second half had much less to offer than the first as both teams knew the game was over and while West Ham continued to fail to pose a threat Liverpool were content to coast safe in the knowledge the three points were already wrapped up.
Had it not been for Green the score would have been double as he tipped Torres' fierce shot onto the crossbar at full stretch and, in the same move, then turned Poulsen's long-range effort around his left-hand post.
Substitute Fabio Aurelio, making only his second appearance since the end of August, also drove just over.
Liverpool missed the chance to claw back another position or two in the table by failing to improve their goal difference but that was the least of their worries after some indifferent recent performances.
For West Ham and Grant the problems continue to mount.
| Liverpool |
Team Statistics |
West Ham United |
| 3 |
Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 8 |
Shots on Target |
1 |
| 8 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 7 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 10 |
Corners |
2 |
| 7 |
Fouls |
11 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 82.8 |
Passing Success |
78.5 |
| 26 |
Tackles |
28 |
| 76.9 |
Tackles Success |
71.4 |
| 53.8 |
Possession |
46.2 |
| 49 |
Territorial Advantage |
51 |
|
