Even Manuel Pellegrini stating few would have backed his side to take something against the Premier League leaders, who had put four past West Ham in each of their past four meetings before Monday's 1-1 draw.
The result, though, will not have caught too many locals off guard.
Going into Monday’s clash at London Stadium, Pellegrini’s side had the memories of taking a point from Chelsea and three from both Manchester United and Arsenal in Stratford this season fresh in their minds. They may have faltered against those around them, but the Hammers are not unaccustomed to a scalp the way the Chilean has them playing this term.
“We scared them,” declared captain Mark Noble after the game. He was right. Liverpool’s midfield, which included late changes as Adam Lallana and Naby Keita filled in for the absent Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum, struggled to cope with the efforts of Noble, Felipe Anderson and Declan Rice, among others.
Jurgen Klopp had taken exception to Noble’s comments. “I would wish for all West Ham fans that Mark Noble and his team would scare more teams and not only us tonight”, he retorted. Klopp does have a point.
While a 0-0 draw with Chelsea was followed by that spectacular win over Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United, West Ham have often wasted their big victories a week later.
The three points taken against Mourinho’s men were followed by defeat at Brighton, while another trip to the south coast - Bournemouth this time - ended in a dismal 2-0 defeat after they had battled to beat Unai Emery’s Arsenal the week before.
A trip across town to Crystal Palace comes next, and Pellegrini knows now is the time for consistency, but was at pains to stress the task he is currently facing.
“Of course it is important [to back up our win], we need to replay the way we play against the big teams here at home,” he told Standard Sport.
“I am talking now that we played a good game against Liverpool and we had eight or nine players injured, we played nine games in December and seven in January with the same players.
“We don't have play-makers [available], we had problems with all the strikers during the transfer window, so I hope that we can play the next 13 games doing the best we can and get as far up the table as we can.”
If, with key figures closing in on their return dates, Pellegrini can get everyone facing in the same direction over the final months of the season up the table is precisely where they can look. Before they can indulge such glances, however, the same desire and performance levels must be shown when they walk out for a run-of-the-mill 3pm kick off as opposed to simply when every camera in the Premier League is pointed their way.
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