Looking to build upon their first home Premiership victory of the season against Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday night, West Ham quickly found themselves well and truly back to square one.
Forget another instalment of the Great Escape, it was Mission Impossible after Liverpool plundered two goals inside the opening nine minutes.
John Arne Riise had already caused a couple of early scares in the hapless Hammers' defence, and when he whipped over an inswinging seventh minute corner, Milan Baros rose unmarked to powerfully head home his ninth of the season.
And just two minutes later, David James could only punch another Riise cross to Danny Murphy, who invited Steven Gerrard to drill a thumping, low 25-yarder inside the base of the keeper's right-hand post.
Having just conceded 50 Premiership goals, wobbly West Ham then saw Vladimir Smicer and Baros go close to adding to that sorry tally, while the Eastenders found themselves constantly frustrated by a stream of offside flags.
Certainly the 55th minute introduction of fit again Frederic Kanoute added some much needed spark as the Frenchman twice fired inches over. But, in truth, the slick Merseysiders were on cruise control as they outpassed and outclassed West Ham.
And midway through the second half, it was that man Riise who snuffed out their slim chances of a miraculous recovery, when the Norwegian's deep corner was nodded back at the far post by Sami Hyypia.
Emile Heskey got in front of James to nod Liverpool's third and send the long-suffering Hammers fans heading for the exits.