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It was all so gloriously familiar.

Liverpool's dazzling front three ran riot as David Moyes was left to endure another chastening trip to Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp's warning about the dangers of slackening off was heeded as West Ham were ruthlessly brushed aside just like Porto before them.

The Reds' recent past is littered with examples of them delivering an eye-catching triumph and then falling flat on the face against average opposition. Not this time.

Standards were maintained across the board as another emphatic victory lifted Liverpool above Manchester United into second place in the Premier League. There is no reason why they can't finish the season there.

This was a test of attitude and application as much as quality and Klopp's men passed it with flying colours.

“I am never satisfied,” the manager said in the build-up to this fixture. And here there were further signs of him fashioning a team in his own image.

Refreshed after a training camp in Marbella, there was a hunger and a relentlessness to Liverpool which the Hammers simply couldn't live with.

(Image: James Maloney)

Collectively, the home side kept their cool after a lively opening failed to yield the breakthrough they craved.

Emre Can's header – Liverpool's 100th goal of the season - ensured they led at the interval and in the second half they raised the bar and blew West Ham away.

A minor blip when substitute Michail Antonio was allowed to reduce the deficit proved to be only a footnote on an afternoon to savour.

The Fab Three might not have quite the same ring to it but the potency of Klopp's frontline hasn't been reduced by Philippe Coutinho's departure to Barcelona.

(Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Remarkably, since the Brazilian jumped ship for Catalonia, Liverpool have scored 22 goals in eight matches. It was a gamble by Klopp to sanction Coutinho's sale but so far it hasn't hindered them.

Klopp prides himself on the spirit and camaraderie in the dressing room. He didn't want anyone dragging that down and that sense of unity is clearly driving them on.

Ten days after Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane tormented Porto in the Champions League, they repeated the trick.

Once again all three were on the scoresheet. Once again opposing defenders were left bewitched by their brilliance.

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Salah netted for the sixth successive game as he moved level with Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot.

It's 31 goals for the Kop's Egyptian King and Firmino is now on 22 – equalling the best-ever tally of his senior career. With a resurgent Mane moving to 13, they boast an incredible 66 between them. It's still February.

That three-pronged attack gives Liverpool genuine hope of going the distance in the Champions League, but there was plenty else to admire against the Hammers.

Virgil van Dijk impressed once again at the back, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain delivered a much-improved display after being recalled in midfield. Full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson continued where they left off in Portugal.

(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

With captain Jordan Henderson hampered earlier in the week by a minor knock and Gini Wijnaldum sidelined by illness, both Oxlade-Chamberlain and Can were handed starts in midfield.

Liverpool flew out of the blocks and were inches away from going in front inside three minutes.

James Milner's perfectly-weighted pass released Firmino, who darted away from James Collins and teed up Salah. He worked the ball on to his left foot and drilled against the inside of the post.

West Ham's back five had bags of experience but they had no answer to the Reds' blistering pace and intelligent movement.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Some of the one-touch football between Salah, Firmino and Mane was a delight to watch as the Hammers were left chasing shadows.

Alexander-Arnold and Robertson rampaged down the flanks and whipped in some pin-point deliveries. Van Dijk nodded straight at Adrian as Liverpool sought to make their dominance count.

Belatedly, West Ham came to life. Joel Matip, who was surprisingly preferred to Dejan Lovren, had problems dealing with Marko Arnautovic. The Austrian attacker got away from him on the edge of the box and executed a classy chip which Loris Karius did well to tip on to the underside of the bar.

Liverpool responded by raising the tempo and quickly regained control. Mane headed over from Firmino's cross with Adrian called into action by Robertson and Alexander-Arnold before the pressure finally told just before the half-hour mark.

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Can got above Patrice Evra to nod home Salah's inviting corner from four yards out. It was the Reds' 100th goal of the season and only once in the club's top-flight history have they reached that milestone in fewer games.

Salah should have made it 2-0 soon after but couldn't convert Robertson's deep cross.

When Karius clawed behind another decent strike from Arnautovic the contest was still very much alive, but within 12 minutes of the second half the points were wrapped up.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who broke off the shackles after his recent struggles, created the second goal. Strong and purposeful, he held off the attentions of Kevin Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate and as he fell to ground cleverly poked the ball into Salah's path.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

There was a sense of inevitability about what followed as Salah drilled low past Adrian.

Moyes, who has never won at Anfield in 15 attempts, had that same old sinking feeling when Can pounced on Joao Mario's poor touch and played in Firmino. The Brazilian attacker got there before the on-rushing keeper and gleefully found the empty net. Game over.

Briefly, Liverpool clocked off and paid the price as Can was outmuscled by Kouyate and substitute Antonio fired beyond Karius.

But victory was never in doubt. A tiring West Ham were repeatedly carved apart with Firmino, Mane, Salah and Oxlade-Chamberlain all forcing saves in front of the Kop.

(Image: James Maloney)

Mane had his head in his hands after striking the post when clean through but with 13 minutes to go the Senegal international had the final word.

It was a classy team goal with Milner and Firmino involved before Robertson's low cross put it on a plate for Mane. That's 11 times this season that Liverpool have scored four or more in a game.

With the job done, Salah, Firmino and Mane were given a breather and they departed to thunderous ovations late on. They need to be wrapped in cotton wool and rolled out at Anfield again next Saturday.

Klopp's attacking juggernaut rolls on.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Roberto Firmino. Led the line brilliantly once again.

LIVERPOOL: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson, Milner, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Salah (Solanke 86), Mane (Moreno 86), Firmino (Lallana 82). Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Gomez, Henderson. GOALS: Can 29, Salah 51, Firmino 57, Mane 77.

WEST HAM UNITED: Adrian, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Zabaleta, Kouyate, Noble, Evra, Lanzini (Antonio 58), Mario (Rice 83), Arnautovic (Hernandez 83). Subs: Hart, Reid, Hugill, Byram. BOOKING: Collins, Kouyate. GOAL: Antonio 59.

REFEREE: Stuart Attwell.

ATT: 53,256.