Liverpool started the game brightly and easily bossed the first half hour without ever really threatening Roy Carroll in the West Ham goal. The final 15 minutes of the first half saw the Hammers come back into the game however, and they created the best two chances of the half.
Pepe Reina was was at his best however, and denyed Marlon Harewood, Luis Boa Morte and Yossi Benayoun in quick succession.
Rafael Benitez must have given his team quite a team talk during the interval as they rushed out of the blocks and were ahead 9.9 seconds into the second half.
Steven Gerrard's long ball found Peter Crouch who brought it down under control, turned and laid it off for Kuyt to score a spectacular goal from 25 yards out.
It was 2-0 seven minutes later when Gerrard sent Riise clear down the left and his cross was side-footed home by Crouch from outside the 18 yard box.
West Ham did pull a goal back with twelve minutes remaining and although they tried to grab an equaliser, the Reds defence weathered the storm and hung on for an important victory.