OVER 90 thunderous minutes, West Ham may well have convinced themselves they can actually be a Champions League club.

For during the course of this gripping game of football the Hammers realised they DO have the firepower to mix it with the best the Premier League have got to offer.

They went from a team scared to come out of their defensive shape to a barnstorming threat on the break to see off a Liverpool side who had been in imperious form.

They were being given a chasing by Jurgen Klopp’s side throughout much of the opening half as they defended the early lead given to them by Alisson’s hapless goalkeeping.

It was almost as if they were a group who just wanted to hold on to what they had, not sure if they really had what it took to match up with one of the title challengers.

But once Liverpool finally broke through to level through Trent Alexander-Arnold’s wonderful free-kick, it was almost as if the shackles were thrown off by David Moyes and his players.

From then on they went toe-to-toe with the Reds, and discovered they are indeed the real deal.

Cheered on by an increasingly loud crowd, the Hammers went on the front foot and discovered attack was by far the best way of defence.

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West Ham are often seen as a bit of a one-man team – Declan Rice and the rest. Not now.

Kurt Zouma has been a revelation since his arrival from Chelsea, and he delivered a giant of a display in defence, capped off by what ultimately proved to be the winner.

Rice was superb in the middle, cajoling his side on as he dominated the exchanges to launch wave after wave of attack.

Just ahead of him, Pablo Fornals has flourished into an attacking midfielder of genuine quality, while Jarrod Bowen’s direct running is wreaking havoc on opposition defences up and down the country.

No-one realistically thinks the Hammers will finish above Liverpool, Chelsea or Manchester City in the table come the end of May.

But having fought it out and come out on top with one of the big three, West Ham will glance at the table below their lofty perch in third and have good reason to think: We’re better than most of them.

Manchester United are in disarray, Tottenham in a position where anything could happen, while Leicester have not been the force they have been over the past two years.

On form, Arsenal probably pose the biggest threat to a top four spot – but Moyes and his rabble of workaholics would fancy themselves against them on this evidence.

Champions League? You’re not having a laugh.

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