• West Ham 3-1 Liverpool

Toothless Liverpool slip to second straight league defeat

Raheem Sterling fired home his third goal of the season - but it was not enough for Liverpool at West Ham © Getty Images

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Liverpool slipped to a second straight Premier League defeat as West Ham secured their first home points of the new campaign with a 3-1 win at Upton Park.

Sam Allardyce's side took the lead inside 90 seconds when Winston Reid guided the ball home from close range after an expert header across the face of goal from James Tomkins.

Match Analysis

• Man of the Match: The West Ham midfield duo were superb throughout but today's award goes to Stewart Downing, who was simply magnificent against his former club - so much so, that the winger celebrated his assist for the third like he had won the World Cup. Single-handedly.
• Villain: Fabio Borini was almost out the Anfield door this summer. When he broke free in the second half, he had Alberto Moreno screaming for it in the middle. It should have been the moment Liverpool made it 2-2.
• Key Moment: Morgan Amalfitano showed great composure in the dying minutes to put the result beyond doubt and relieve the pressure on his manager. Even if it was a toe-poke, to score a vital goal like that on your home debut takes a fair amount of confidence.
• Rob Bartlett

The home side's fans packed inside Upton Park did not have to wait long for a second, as Diafra Sakho broke free down the right and beat Simon Mignolet with a delicious lob. Whether he meant it or not, only he will know.

Liverpool were back in it by half-time when Mario Balotelli, who minutes before had been booked for a late challenge on West Ham goalkeeper Adrian, brought the ball down before seeing his shot blocked - but Raheem Sterling was on hand to rifle home from the edge of the area.

Allardyce was dealt a worry when Cheikhou Kouyate went down clutching his thigh inside the final 15 minutes - by that point West Ham had used all three substitutes - but the defender was able to continue, just.

He was needed as the home side dealt with countless pressure before Morgan Amalfitano toe-poked a late third to secure the club's first home win of the season.

Alexandre Song, on his first start following his loan move from Barcelona, Cheikhou Kouyate, striker Enner Valencia and goalscorer Sakho were influential for Allardyce's men, who inflicted Liverpool's second away loss this calendar year.

Liverpool's first came at Manchester City a month ago, but now Brendan Rodgers' men have lost successive Premier League games for the first time since December following last week's defeat to Aston Villa.

Liverpool are now six points behind leaders Chelsea in the table, having played a game more, while the pressure on Allardyce, in front of his own fans at least, has lessened with a second home win in six matches.

Liverpool needed a last-gasp penalty to beat Ludogorets on their Champions League return in midweek, but face a test of their top four credentials this season.

Runners-up last term, Liverpool were expected to add to West Ham's misery and inflict a third home loss of the season after Tottenham and Southampton won last month.

Liverpool had Martin Skrtel restored following a three-match absence with a knee injury, but a defensive reshuffle was required after 22 minutes, by which time the visitors were already two down.

The source of the first goal was former Liverpool winger Stewart Downing, whose inswinging free-kick found James Tomkins at the back post.

Tomkins' header back across the six-yard box was turned goalbound by Reid, whose header went in off Dejan Lovren.

Downing seemed determined to impress and danced around Steven Gerrard before Mark Noble darted from left to right and fed Sakho.

The Senegal forward, a summer recruit from Metz, burst into the area and had the audacity to lob the ball over Simon Mignolet into the far corner for his third goal in three games.

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Aaron Cresswell then tried his luck from 25 yards and Mignolet turned the ball round the post.

The closest Liverpool came to a goal in the opening 20 minutes was when Balotelli attempted to block an Adrian clearance and tangled with the goalkeeper, who kicked out before facing off with the striker. Both men were booked.

A frustrated Rodgers hauled off Javier Manquillo for Mamadou Sakho and switched to a back three in an attempt to wrest some of the initiative from Kouyate and Song in midfield.

Liverpool struck back when Balotelli pulled down a Jordan Henderson cross from the left and saw his shot blocked by Cresswell. The ball ricocheted to Sterling, who drilled a low first-time volley into the far corner.

West Ham continued to press forward and Mignolet turned a Valencia free-kick round the post.

Lovren required lengthy treatment after colliding with his team-mate Mamadou Sakho. He initially appeared groggy but returned following a change of shirt, with a heavily bandaged head and after a consultation with the tunnel doctor in compliance with Premier League concussion rules.

Mignolet saved from Valencia as the Hammers' bombardment continued. Adam Lallana replaced Lucas at half-time and tried to tee up Sterling, who dragged his shot wide.

Liverpool exerted some more pressure, with Fabio Borini and Balotelli each twice finding shooting space without really testing Adrian. As the visitors pushed forwards gaps in their defence became evident.

Diafra Sakho was unable to punish a Skrtel lapse as he lifted the ball over, but a third West Ham goal came when they broke and Downing threaded the ball through for substitute Amalfitano to score.

Winston Reid had West Ham ahead inside 90 seconds © Getty Images

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