The main thing to come out of this game is hope. Not that Liverpool can win the title - the truth is that this is now highly unlikely - but rather that they've learned how to deal with teams like West Ham.

Luck, of course, played a part but on the whole Liverpool did what they needed to do: they were clinical and came away with the three points. If they can take that forward to next season then we can at least retain hope for the future.

Good Game
Overall solid, Pepe Reina wasn't really tested by West Ham. One slip aside, even if it could (should?) have resulted in a West Ham goal, and Jamie Carragher had a fairly good game. Same goes for Martin Skrtel even if he and Carragher seem knackered as the pressures for such an intense season start to tell. Again, dealing with this is something that the players will have learned from.

In midfield, Lucas Leiva filled Xabi Alonso's boots reasonably well. Indeed, I think he was one of the better players on the pitch so much that I was tempted to name him as my man of the match. He was run close by Steven Gerrard largely because of his two goals.

The eventual choice as Liverpool's best player thus falls on Javier Mascherano. The Argentine was everywhere and, on this occasion, he was quite adventurous going forward.

Unlike Mascherano, playing against his former club didn't really do Yossi Benayoun too well yet he did well enough to be included here. His skill has been a major influence in the second half of the season, something that he will hopefully build on.

Finally there's Fernando Torres who, still slightly injured didn't play well but still created Gerrard first goal and on whom the penalty was made.

Bad Game
Both Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio looked to be feeling the pressure a bit too much, making a number of misplaced passes and generally not looking up to it.

Substitutions
Putting Emiliano Insua on gave Liverpool more attacking push and helped keep Boa Morte busy. Given a brief opportunity to play in his favoure striker's role, Ryan Babel replied by scoring the third, perhaps a sign that he wants to stay and fight for his place. Andrea Dossena Was introduced more to waste time.