West Ham United took on Liverpool in the Premier League at Upton Park earlier today.
The Reds began the game knowing that a win would see them climb above the Hammers into the top half of the table.
However, only Manchester City, Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion had claimed more home top-flight points than West Ham this season.
Find out how the action unfolded below with Sports Mole's blow-by-blow text updates.
Liverpool's preparations for this match were dealt a setback on Thursday evening. The Reds were forced to spend an extra night in Italy following their 1-0 win over Udinese, because of a fault with their aeroplane.
In stark contrast, the Hammers have enjoyed an eight-day break since their last fixture, which was a 3-1 win over London rivals Chelsea.
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has insisted that his side are in for a "tough game" today.
Luis Suarez has scored more than half of Liverpool's 19 Premier League goals this season, while no other Reds player has yet found the net more than once. The Uruguayan will be suspended today, after picking up five yellow cards in domestic competition this campaign.
West Ham are also without their main danger man, as Andy Carroll is both injured and ineligible.
Kevin Nolan, who is the Hammers' topscorer, has scored four of his five Premier League goals at Upton Park this season.
Although Liverpool lost 3-1 on their last visit to West Ham in February 2011, the Reds have won 13 times in the past 18 meetings between the sides.
West Ham starting XI: Jaaskelainen, Reid, Collins, Demel, O'Brien, Noble, Nolan, Diame, Jarvis, Taylor, Cole
West Ham subs: Spiegel, McCartney,Tomkins, Spence, O'Neil, Moncur, Maiga
Liverpool starting XI: Reina, Johnson, Enrique, Skrtel, Agger, Lucas, Allen, Gerrard, Sterling, Downing, Shelvey
Liverpool subs: Jones, Cole, Henderson, Coates, Carragher, Suso, Morgan
West Ham make two changes from the team that started last week's win over Chelsea. Mohamed Diame and Matt Taylor replace James Tomkins and Gary O'Neil.
Stewart Downing replaces the suspended Luis Suarez, as Liverpool make one change from last weekend's Premier League victory over Southampton.
Jonjo Shelvey is expected to play as a lone striker, ahead of captain Steven Gerrard.
Shelvey has insisted that he is ready to play up front in the absence of Suarez.
Upton Park is completely sold out for today's match and the atmosphere in East London is building.
I was spot-on with my one and only prediction yesterday, as Wolves narrowly overcame Birmingham in a scrappy encounter. Today I am tipping West Ham to win with both teams scoring.
The teams are on the pitch and kickoff is just minutes away.
Referee Lee Probert blows his whistle and Liverpool get the game underway.
Liverpool make an impressive start, passing the ball well. The Reds win the game's first corner, as Gerrard's low shot from 14 yards deflects wide.
Downing swings the corner in from the right, but the Hammers hack the ball clear.
Good response from West Ham. Diame and Carlton Cole combine well before the ball is played left to Matt Jarvis. The former Wolves winger crosses to Nolan, but the Hammers skipper doesn't connect properly with his header and Pepe Reina catches well under pressure.
West Ham go close! Jarvis's deep cross from the left is cleared as far as Diame on the edge of the penalty area. The Senegal midfielder shoots at goal. His shot deflects off Cole and goes just wide, with Reina wrong-footed.
Nolan's hooks in a cross from the left towards the near post, but Martin Skrtel heads the ball behind for a corner, which is wasted.
GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL! - Glen Johnson - West Ham United 0-1 Liverpool
Gerrard finds Johnson on the right touchline and the former Hammers full-back cuts inside before checking back onto his favourite right foot. He then unleashes an unstoppable strike from 25 yards, which arrows beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen into the top left corner.
Johnson, who has now scored in each of his last three matches against West Ham, did not celebrate at all.
West Ham cannot handle Johnson at the moment. Once again, he receives the ball deep and drives at the Hammers backline. On this occasion he pulls the ball back to Raheem Sterling, who shoots just wide from the penalty spot.
Liverpool have dealt with West Ham's aerial threat very well so far. The Hammers seem keen to pump long balls towards Cole, but Skrtel is dominating his battle for the big forward.
For once, Jarvis's cross evades Skrtel, but Reina does brilliantly to gather under pressure from Cole.
Substitution for Liverpool: Jose Enrique limps off with a suspected thigh injury and he is replaced by Joe Cole. That is a very positive change from Rodgers, who had many more defensive options on the bench.
Jarvis, who has been West Ham's liveliest player so far, drills in a low cross from the left. Nolan lets the ball run though his legs to Cole, who is poised to shoot before Agger dispossesses him with an excellent sliding challenge.
Yellow card! Shelvey enters the referee's notebook for a late tackle on Diame.
Joe Cole does well to win a corner off the legs of Joey O'Brien.
James Collins hacks clear from the corner and Diame leads the pacy counter-attack before he is hacked down by Gerrard, who is shown a deserved Yellow card.
Taylor takes the free kick from 20 yards, but his effort is tame and straight at Reina.
Penalty to West Ham! Guy Demel's effort from long-range hits Joe Allen on the arm and Probert points to the spot.
GOAL FOR WEST HAM! - Mark Noble - West Ham United 1-1 Liverpool
Reina goes the right way, but Noble's low spot-kick is too good.
Liverpool win a corner, but Collins clears for the Hammers to send Jarvis away down the left. Jarvis crosses to Taylor, whose header is inches away from putting West Ham in front.
GOAL FOR WEST HAM! - Steven Gerrard own goal - West Ham United 2-1 Liverpool
West Ham are in front! Jarvis swings in a dangerous right-foot cross from the left, which Gerrard inadvertently nods home at the near post.
Liverpool go close! Stewart Downing races away down the left. He crosses to Shelvey, who shoots wide from four yards out.
Half time: West Ham United 2-1 Liverpool
Liverpool were in total command when Johnson fired them ahead on 11 minutes, but they end the first half behind and on the ropes.
The game seemed to change when Enrique limped off and was replaced by Cole. The Reds haven't looked as resilient since the Spaniard's departure.
Liverpool have dominated possession with 65 percent so far. The Reds have registered nine shots in total, but just one of those efforts has been on target. Meanwhile, the Hammers have recorded six shots, three of which have been on target.
Liverpool have taken four of the game's five corners and committed seven of the game's 11 fouls.
I must have missed it at the time, but Taylor was shown a yellow card late in the first half.
Substitution for West Ham: George McCartney replaces Demel ahead of the second half.
West Ham kick off and the match resumes.
The second half has begun at a very slow pace, which will frustrate Liverpool, who will be looking to rediscover their excellent rhythm from earlier in the game.
Taylor shoots from long-range, but his effort is blocked by Downing, who appears to twist his ankle as he lands.
Downing seems to have recovered from his knock and he will continue.
Jarvis, who was the best player on the pitch in the first half, stands up a cross from the left, which Skrtel heads behind for a corner.
Taylor's corner finds Collins, but the defender's header is poor and ends up in row Z.
Carlton Cole displays impressive hold-up play before clipping the ball over the top to Taylor, who is denied a shot at goal by a last-ditch sliding tackle from Downing.
Full of frustration, Agger charges forward for the Reds. He reaches the edge of the West Ham area, but his right-foot shot is awful.
Fine save from Jaaskelainen! Downing's pull-back is left by Joe Cole for Sterling, whose first-time shot from 20 yards deflects off McCartney. The ball is heading for the top corner, until the Finnish stopper flicks it over for a corner.
Gerrard's corner is poor and West Ham clear.
Golden chance for Liverpool! Downing delivers a pin-point cross from the left to Shelvey, but the makeshift forward heads wide at the near post.
Substitution for Liverpool: Lucas, who has been almost unnoticeable today, is replaced by Jordan Henderson.
Diame goes down holding his hamstring, following an innocuous challenge with Sterling. The stretcher is being called for.
Substitution for West Ham: Diame is replaced by Tomkins.
GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL! - Joe Cole - West Ham United 2-2 Liverpool
Sterling plays a superb one-two with Shelvey before threading the ball into the path of Cole, who coolly slots home left-footed from eight yards.
Would you believe it!? Two former West Ham favourites are now on the scoresheet for Liverpool. Just like Johnson, there is no celebration from Cole.
GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL! - James Collins own goal - West Ham United 2-3 Liverpool
Henderson swings in a low cross from the right towards Shelvey at the near post. On the stretch, Collins gets there first, but his touch deflects the ball over the head of Jaaskelainen and into the net. Unlucky.
Downing shoots from 25 yards, but his effort is dreadful and ends up near the corner flag.
Substitution for Liverpool: Allen is replaced by Sebastian Coates.
Golden chance for Liverpool! Sterling gets away from Collins and is one-on-one with Jaaskelainen. To Sterling's surprise, the West Ham stopper shows lightening pace to race out of his goal and dispossess the Liverpool winger with a well-executed slide tackle.
The fourth official's board shows FIVE added minutes.
Penalty shout! Shelvey dances past two players before hitting the deck under a clumsy-looking challenge from Winston Reid. The referee is adamant as he waves away Shelvey's protests. However, I think Mr Probert got that wrong.
Full time: West Ham United 2-3 Liverpool
Liverpool climb to 10th in the Premier League table courtesy of the win. They are now four points behind Everton, who occupy the final Champions League place following their 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Meanwhile, the Hammers drop a place to 11th.
Prior to today, the Reds had not scored in the last 15 minutes of a Premier League game all season. They were second best for an hour at Upton Park until they came alive in the 75th minute to change that statistic in dramatic style.
That concludes Sports Mole's live Premier League coverage for today. Be sure to join us tomorrow, when we will bring you blow-by-blow updates of Fulham's clash with Newcastle United.
Written by
Robert Summerscales
Robert Summerscales
