First-half strikes from Yossi Benayoun and David Ngog and a second-half own goal from Robert Green earned Liverpool a 3-0 win on Monday over struggling West Ham.
The Reds are still five points off fourth-placed Tottenham, who also have a game in hand, but they extended their unbeaten run at Anfield to 10 matches.
Efforts from Benayoun and Ngog gave them the advantage at the interval and Green’s own-goal completed a comfortable evening.
West Ham have not won away from home since the opening weekend of the season and remain just three points above the relegation zone with three matches left.
Liverpool dominated possession from the start and West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green had to turn a Maxi Rodriguez strike around the post with just a couple of minutes gone.
The hosts took the lead on 19 minutes following a Gerrard free kick on the right.
The Liverpool captain whipped the set piece in behind the West Ham defense and the ball crept inside the post off Benayoun’s chest.
The Israeli, who joined Liverpool from West Ham and was being booed throughout by the visitors’ fans, refused to celebrate the breakthrough.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos should have given Liverpool an unassailable lead when he thumped a header over from Gerrard’s corner.
They did manage to double their advantage when Benayoun knocked wide to Rodriguez.
The Argentine crossed for Ngog, who managed to get in front of Matthew Upson, and hit a shot with enough power to beat Green.
Cole broke from deep as the visitors attempted to keep the game alive but his long-range effort rolled wide of Reina’s goal.
Gerrard lifted a free kick high and wide as Liverpool looked to put the game beyond the strugglers.
Dirk Kuyt also had a drive pushed wide by Green after racing on to a knock-down from Ngog.
Another goal arrived thanks to more poor defending from the visitors.
Gerrard sent over a free kick from the left and Kyrgiakos beat Upson only to see his shot come back off the post and roll in off Green.
Cole looked to salvage some pride for the visitors after latching on to Mark Noble’s pass in the area but his shot was easily-blocked by Reina.
Daniel Agger lifted a shot over as Liverpool continued to press and Rodriguez was thwarted at the near post by Green.
Kuyt also missed the target with an ambitious overhead kick as Liverpool ran out easy winners.
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