Sadio Mane’s first-half goal was enough to give Liverpool victory over West Ham at Anfield and move them back within three points of Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Jurgen Klopp’s men deserved the win but it did not come without the odd scare as Pablo Fornals and Manuel Lanzini both wasted excellent chances to equalize.

The Hammers’ frustrations were compounded by the loss of in-form Jarrod Bowen to what looked like a significant injury, the forward helped off the pitch and down the tunnel following a collision with former Hull team-mate Andy Robertson.

Five days before the Europa League last-16 first-leg trip to Sevilla, it was not what manager David Moyes needed.

Liverpool had chances to extend their lead, with new signing Luis Diaz particularly impressive.

However, with the title race as it is, victory was all that mattered. And now Liverpool fans are in the unusual position of hoping for a United victory in Sunday’s Manchester derby at Etihad Stadium.

“We could have done better. We did pretty well first half, but in the second half if you are not better, you need quick legs, big heart and passion and that’s what we needed to get the result,” Klopp told BBC Match of the Day.

“In the end it was open, we needed a bit of luck, but you cannot win as many games in a row as we have without a bit of luck.”

Life might have been far less stressful for Liverpool’s fans had Mohamed Salah taken the first-minute chance that came his way, instead of firing straight at goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

At times, Liverpool’s attack is so fast and fluid it is impossible for opposition defences to cope. And in Diaz, their £37.5m January arrival from Porto, they have a player that fits that template perfectly.

The Colombian produced a wonderous piece of skill to create an early chance for himself which he drove into Craig Dawson’s face.

Diaz then came close twice in the second half too, with the first of those particularly impressive in the way he manipulated Mane’s pass into a scoring chance that went narrowly wide. When he was replaced in the final minute of injury time, his standing ovation was fully deserved.

“He is a top player – a most easy player to coach because all the things he is doing are pretty natural to him,” added Klopp. “There is not a lot of coaching necessary. Of course he needs to work on one or two things we do defensively, but he is very football smart, has a big heart and wants to fight extremely hard for the team.”

In the end, though, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s precise low cross created the one moment that mattered.

The England man’s 16th assist of a stellar season was one of his best, leaving Mane to turn home his fourth goal in five games from close range.