Great strikes from Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch lifted Liverpool to within two points of second-placed Chelsea, who host Blackburn Rovers tonight. A late charge by Liverpool for the title remains unlikely, particularly with Manchester United a further six points clear of Chelsea, but Benitez was upbeat.
''It's a long race," said the Spaniard. ''We have confidence and momentum, and a good run of (five) wins. Before we won against Chelsea, people said we couldn't win against the top sides, but we showed people we have enough quality. I prefer to be under this pressure." Crouch agreed, saying: ''We have got to keep this run going and hope the top two slip up."
Crouch, Kuyt and company must first negotiate the derby threat of Everton on Saturday, although Benitez believes they will be strengthened in the long run by the arrival of West Ham's Javier Mascherano before the transfer window slams shut today.
Fifa, the governing body of the global game, yesterday agreed to waive their rule that a player cannot represent three clubs in one season (Mascherano started the season at Corinthians).
If Liverpool are stiffening their central midfield, 18th-placed West Ham urgently need to bolster their central defence, and attention will inevitably turn to Matthew Upson's future today, and whether he will leave Birmingham City. Such a good defensive leader may have organised a better resistance movement than West Ham's back-line managed last night.
Rumours of a bid for Charlton Athletic's Darren Bent have been denied by all parties. ''We have been linked with all sorts of people, some outrageous," said Curbishley. ''Charlton have made their situation clear from day one that Darren Bent is not available, and that has not changed."
On this brief evidence, the busy Kepa Blanco looks promising enough upfront, and may prove a significant force in West Ham's fight against relegation. ''We are confident we can (escape)," stressed Curbishley. ''I know the fans are very anxious, restless, disappointed. We all were."
Upton Park had been in subdued mood even before the start, and the waves of nerves rolling around the stands were hardly eased by some early fumbles by Roy Carroll.
West Ham were increasingly under siege, panic staining too many defenders' clearances, frustration gathering in their fans' hearts. After a brief moment of respite before the interval, when Marlon Harewood, Luis Boa Morte and Yossi Benayoun went close, the beads of sweat really broke out on local foreheads.
Liverpool's 3-4-3 formation had exuded danger throughout the first half, and they went up a gear in the second period. West Ham's defence was too slow to react when Alonso's raking pass picked out Crouch, who moved purposefully across the edge of Carroll's box. Options abounded. Crouch chose Kuyt, and the Dutchman's finish was superb, the ball driven into the net via the bar.
If Liverpool's first was special, their second was even more spectacular. When Gerrard and Alonso combined smoothly in the deep, the danger still seemed distant. Then Gerrard conjured up a killer pass, the ball bent with the outside of his right foot down the inside-left channel to Craig Bellamy. West Ham were cut to pieces, as Bellamy found John Arne Riise who helped Crouch supply the coup de grace. Brutal.
With unrest swelling on the terraces, Curbishley had to act to stave off the gathering ignominy, and he sent on a new strike-force, Bobby Zamora and Kepa Blanco. Within seconds, the pair were combining, Zamora crossing from the left and Kepa Blanco scoring with his second touch for the club.
''It gave everyone a lift, changed the atmosphere," said Curbishley. West Ham threw everything at Liverpool, and Boa Morte even threw himself disgracefully to the ground in a vain attempt to nick a penalty.
''I got relegated with Charlton in my first year there, but it went to the last day of the season," added Curbishley, which hardly stirs great hope. West Ham's last test of the season is Manchester United away.