The shaking of Jurgen Klopp's fist said it all at full time. As did the reaction of the Kop.
This was a massive three Premier League points for Liverpool at Anfield.
Klopp knew it. The Kop knew it. And Manchester City, who entertain neighbours United on Sunday, will know it as well.
The Reds aren't going away in this title race. Not just yet, anyway.
This was as hard-fought a win as there has been all season at home as West Ham United battled until the last blast of Jonathan Moss' whistle on Saturday evening.
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Klopp, as he tends to, played to the gallery after the game, but it was his more subdued clenching of a fist before he reached the fans that revealed just how vital he viewed this 1-0 triumph as.
There has been plenty of talk this week over the long-term future of Klopp, with the Liverpool manager fielding a raft of questions about his contract in recent days.
The Reds boss, while refusing to rule out staying on definitively, hinted that 2024 will see his last day on the job at Anfield, even if there may be some schools of thought within the Fenway Sports Group hierarchy of attempting to keep the German on past the nine-year mark.
But perhaps after hearing him draw a line under the topic - for now, at least - in his Friday press conference, Liverpool fans simply need to enjoy their talismanic leader in the here and now.
After all, he admitted only last week that the trying circumstances of last season zapped his energy and zest for the job he loves.
"We were all really drained," he admitted. "Just finished. Done."
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But 12 months on from the lowest ebb of a sixth straight Anfield defeat, the manager looks as refreshed and as energised as at any other time during his six-and-a-half-years on Merseyside right now.
The trademark celebration was delivered with typical gusto as the Reds toasted to going within three points of City at the Premier League's summit.
How David Moyes must loathe this little corner of the North West.
In his 20 years as a top-flight manager, the Scot has never won at Anfield having brought Everton, Manchester United, Sunderland and West Ham here during his lengthy career.
It's now 18 without a win for the Hammers boss, dating back to December 2002 when he first brought Everton here for a Merseyside derby.
Moyes remains winless in 66 Premier League games away to Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and former club United, which is a remarkable sequence, whatever the capabilities of the teams he has been in charge of.
Eight changes were made in total for this one as Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita all returned to the squad.
Liverpool had a couple of early chances through Salah after a bright start, with the best of the lot arriving inside two minutes when he was denied by Lukasz Fabianski when clean through.
The breakthrough came just before the half-hour mark when Sadio Mane was alert to a miscued shot from Alexander-Arnold to nudge past Fabianski.
The Senegal star celebrated like a man who was expecting to see the offside flag, but after a VAR check he was ruled to have stayed just behind Craig Dawson when he made his run for goal No.14 of the campaign.
Liverpool's famous high line was breached before the break when Pablo Fornals was sent scampering through, but his delicate dink over Alisson allowed Alexander-Arnold to get back to clear before Nikola Vlasic sent the follow-up wide via Ibrahima Konate's block.
Moyes was forced to withdraw the lively Jarrod Bowen for Said Benrahma in the second half through injury before Mark Noble replaced Vlasic just after the hour mark.
The outstanding Luis Diaz almost made it 2-0 after good work from Mane but his effort curled just wide of the post after cutting inside from the edge of the box.
Manuel Lanzini simply had to equalise when he controlled a cross from Liverpool's left, but after his dummy was bought by both Alisson and Alexander-Arnold, he somehow scooped it over the bar.
Salah was withdrawn to a standing ovation for Diogo Jota as Klopp searched for a decisive second inside the final 15 minutes.
But the Hammers also continued to push and it was left to Naby Keita to make a superb intervention to thwart Antonio after he'd been sent clear by Noble's excellent pass.
Andy Robertson celebrated the midfielder's interception like a goal as Liverpool survived before getting rid of the subsequent corner.
James Milner was sent on for Keita late on to close it out as the fourth official flashed up a number five for the additional minutes before Curtis Jones arrived to eat at the clock further.
It never quite got to the point where the home side were holding on as such but Moyes' men simply refused to give in until they could play no more.
Then came the final whistle and Klopp's celebrations.
Job done here, now all eyes turn to Manchester on Sunday.
