WEST Ham United moved up to third in the Premier League, overtaking Liverpool after a thrilling 3-2 win over Jurgen Klopp’s side Sunday afternoon.

West Ham, whose highest top-tier league finish was third in 1986, is looking like a title contender two years after David Moyes took charge of a team a point above the relegation zone. Building on a sixth-place finish last season — missing out on the Champions League spots by two points — West Ham has now opened a top-flight season by winning seven of 11 games for only the second time.

There was a helping hand from Alisson Becker.

The Liverpool goalkeeper flapped in the air to allow Pablo Fornals’ inswinging corner to go through his hands in the fourth minute. After Trent Alexander-Arnold equalized at the end of the first half, Jarrod Bowen ran at the Liverpool defense before slipping the ball to Fornals, whose shot was helped into the net by Alisson’s weak touch. Another assist came from Bowen in the 74th when a corner was headed in by Kurt Zouma through Alisson’s raised hands.

Although Divock Origi pulled one back, scoring on the turn, Liverpool couldn’t find another goal to avoid a first loss in any competition since being knocked out of the Champions League last season by Real Madrid in April. It’s even further back — into February — since the 2020 champion lost in the Premier League.

There’s now only a three-point gap between West Ham and leader Chelsea, while defending champion Manchester City is only ahead in second on goal difference heading into the two-week international break.

Now West Ham is six points higher than United, which is struggling under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.(SD-Agencies)