David Moyes was left to rue a lack of cutting edge once more as an impressive West Ham left Anfield with nothing thanks to an absence of composure in the final third.
Stodgy attacking play has been a thorn in the side of the Hammers in recent weeks and was evident here once more as a fine defensive effort was let down by a blunt edge up top.
Liverpool were fortunate to have been let off the hook on so many occasions following Sadio Mane’s first half goal.
The Hammers can take great encouragement from going toe-to-toe with Liverpool throughout and creating the chances to win, with what was their best showing for some time.
However, as they head into Thursday’s huge Europa League tie at Sevilla, something has to change in the final third.
West Ham are one of the two sides to have managed a win over Liverpool this season and Moyes was confident of ending his near two decade hoodoo of not managing a victory at Anfield as a manager.
That task, however, was made all the more difficult by the absence of Declan Rice. The midfielder had been suffering from illness since Thursday and was left out of the squad for the trip north.
The Hammers had coped well the last time they lost Rice, for a comfortable win at Watford, but this was a different task altogether - one which they rose to with the 23-year-old’s absence hardly felt.
Moyes would have been deeply concerned in the opening five minutes as Liverpool moved through the visitors at ease, Lukasz Fabianski saving from Mohamed Salah in the second minute before Virgil van Dijk clipped an effort wide and Craig Dawson was called upon with a last ditch challenge to stop the Reds’ Egyptian winger.
West Ham managed to settle themselves, Tomas Soucek and Manuel Lanzini offering some composure from midfield as chances opened up on the break.
Twice Antonio, who scored his first goal since January 1 at Southampton in midweek, tested Alisson from the edge of the box, with the Brazilian also stopping a soft strike from Soucek.
Having matched Liverpool for almost the opening half an hour, there was a sense of frustration around the opener for the hosts.
The Hammers stood off Naby Keita as he found Trent Alexander-Arnold, the England full-back allowed to chest the ball and send a low cross to the far post.
Mane had got the wrong side of Dawson but should have been able to rely on Fabianski as the Pole came out to deal with the cross, but stopped short and allowed the Liverpool forward the easiest of goals.
Liverpool were fired up following the gifted goal and West Ham had to rely on Cresswell to clear off the line before Soucek cleared with an overhead kick.
After a shocker from the goalkeeper at one end, Pablo Fornals stepped up to eclipse Fabianski at the other.
Ben Johnson lifted a perfect ball into the huge gap behind the Liverpool back line where Fornals was clear through, racing towards Alisson alone. The Brazilian stood firm and Fornals attempted the most feeble of dinks over the goalkeeper, allowing Alexander-Arnold the time to trot back and clear before it reached the line - a shock for the travelling fans who had already started celebrating at the far end.
An early second-half chance for Jarrod Bowen, who was denied by a fine Andy Robertson challenge having been set in behind by a poor Van Dijk header, offered encouragement but that was soon dampened by the sight of the winger having to be helped down the tunnel with what looked a troubling knee injury. The loss of Bowen just days before West Ham’s biggest game of the season at Sevilla on Thursday is quite the concern.
West Ham are one of the top scoring sides in the division this season but have started to suffer from jitters in front of goal. After Fornals’s first-half clanger, Manuel Lanzini stepped up.
The Argentine had been superb, firstly alongside Soucek in a midfield two before being moved further forward following Mark Noble’s introduction. When it mattered most, however, he fell short.
After a fine flowing move which started at the back and moved forward via Fabianski to Soucek, Lanzini collected a perfect cross and had two bites at trying to convert, but only managed an effort which cleared the goal by a good six feet. Impressive for an effort from the edge of the six-yard box.
West Ham were by now the far more threatening side but lacked the killer instinct. Noble fizzed a stunning outside of the boot ball in behind for Antonio, who dithered when Said Benrahma was free down the left and allowed Liverpool to come back in and force the corner.
The Hammers continued to apply pressure through five minutes of added time but simply could not find the same clarity and cutting edge which had earned them the remarkable victory over Jurgen Klopp’s side in November.
