Sadio Mane scored the winner with less than 10 minutes of normal time remaining
Liverpool survived a rare night of struggle in this stellar season to overcome West Ham United and close to within four wins of the Premier League title as keeper Lukasz Fabiansk suffered an Anfield nightmare.
Victory means Liverpool equal the English league record of 18 successive wins, set by Manchester City from August to December 2017, with Jurgen Klopp's side last dropping points in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in October.
The Hammers - whose fans staged protests against the club's owners throughout - threatened to inflict Liverpool's first league defeat this term when they led midway through the second half.
Liverpool took an early lead when Fabianski failed to deal with a routine Gini Wijnaldum header but David Moyes' side showed great character to hit back through Issa Diop's header, which should also have been kept out by Alisson.
And when substitute Pablo Fornals swept West Ham into the lead nine minutes after the break Liverpool were faced with a fight to preserve their unbeaten 27-match league run.
It had been a poor display by their sky-high standards but their luck was in as Fabianski was the culprit again, inexplicably allowing Mo Salah's shot to squirm through his legs in the 68th minute.
There was a sense of inevitability as Liverpool went for victory and so it proved as Sadio Mane turned in with nine minutes left after Trent Alexander-Arnold lofted the ball over Fabianski.
It was cruel on West Ham and Moyes, with Liverpool keeper Alisson having to produce a crucial late block from substitute Jarrod Bowen.
Liverpool have restored their 22-point lead at the top and the Hammers are left in the bottom three.
More to follow.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Liverpool
1Alisson
66Alexander-Arnold
12Gomez
4van Dijk
26Robertson
8KeitaSubstituted forOxlade-Chamberlainat 57'minutes
3Fabinho
5Wijnaldum
11Salah
9Firmino
10ManéSubstituted forMatipat 90+1'minutes
Substitutes
6Lovren
13Adrián
15Oxlade-Chamberlain
18Minamino
20Lallana
27Origi
32Matip
West Ham
1Fabianski
52Ngakia
23DiopBooked at 66mins
21Ogbonna
3Cresswell
41RiceBooked at 51mins
28SoucekSubstituted forFornalsat 47'minutes
11SnodgrassSubstituted forBowenat 84'minutes
16NobleBooked at 80mins
8Felipe AndersonSubstituted forHallerat 65'minutes
30Antonio
Substitutes
4Balbuena
5Zabaleta
10Lanzini
17Bowen
18Fornals
22Haller
35Randolph
Referee:
Jonathan Moss
Attendance:
53,313
Match Stats
Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamWest Ham
Possession
Home70%
Away30%
Shots
Home25
Away7
Shots on Target
Home7
Away4
Corners
Home16
Away8
Fouls
Home4
Away10
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Liverpool 3, West Ham United 2.
Full TimePosted at 90'+6'
Second Half ends, Liverpool 3, West Ham United 2.
Posted at 90'+6'
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Georginio Wijnaldum.
Posted at 90'+6'
Attempt blocked. Mark Noble (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 90'+5'
Foul by Joel Matip (Liverpool).
Posted at 90'+5'
Michail Antonio (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
SubstitutionPosted at 90'+1'
Substitution, Liverpool. Joel Matip replaces Sadio Mané.
Posted at 89'
Sadio Mané (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 89'
Foul by Jeremy Ngakia (West Ham United).
Posted at 89'
Attempt missed. Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right following a corner.
Posted at 88'
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Alisson.
Posted at 88'
Attempt saved. Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Michail Antonio with a through ball.
Posted at 86'
VAR Decision: No Goal Liverpool 3-2 West Ham United.
Posted at 86'
GOAL OVERTURNED BY VAR: Sadio Mané (Liverpool) scores but the goal is ruled out after a VAR review.
Posted at 86'
Offside, Liverpool. Trent Alexander-Arnold tries a through ball, but Sadio Mané is caught offside.
SubstitutionPosted at 84'
Substitution, West Ham United. Jarrod Bowen replaces Robert Snodgrass because of an injury.
Goal!Posted at 81'
Goal! Liverpool 3, West Ham United 2. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Posted at 81'
Attempt blocked. Joseph Gomez (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
BookingPosted at 80'
Mark Noble (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 79'
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 79'
Foul by Mark Noble (West Ham United).
Posted at 78'
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Angelo Ogbonna.
Posted at 77'
Offside, Liverpool. Georginio Wijnaldum tries a through ball, but Andrew Robertson is caught offside.
Posted at 75'
Attempt saved. Sébastien Haller (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Michail Antonio.
Posted at 74'
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Jeremy Ngakia.
Posted at 74'
Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) hits the left post with a header from very close range following a corner.
Posted at 74'
Attempt saved. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrew Robertson with a cross.
Posted at 73'
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Michail Antonio.
Posted at 73'
Attempt blocked. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fabinho.
Posted at 72'
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Issa Diop.
Posted at 69'
Offside, West Ham United. Mark Noble tries a through ball, but Jeremy Ngakia is caught offside.
Goal!Posted at 68'
Goal! Liverpool 2, West Ham United 2. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrew Robertson.
BookingPosted at 66'
Issa Diop (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 66'
Sadio Mané (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 66'
Foul by Issa Diop (West Ham United).
Posted at 66'
Foul by Fabinho (Liverpool).
Posted at 66'
Pablo Fornals (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
SubstitutionPosted at 65'
Substitution, West Ham United. Sébastien Haller replaces Felipe Anderson.
Posted at 63'
Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).
Posted at 63'
Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Source: bbc.com