David Moyes has called on Manuel Lanzini to return to form after the West Ham playmaker turned in another poor display for the Hammers.
Liverpool beat West Ham 2-0 at London Stadium on Wednesday night to go 19 points clear at the top of the Premier League table, and leave Moyes' Hammers above the relegation zone on goal difference alone.
The visitors did not need to be brilliant after Mohamed Salah tucked away his first goal in London since March 2018, from the penalty spot before half-time.
Struggling West Ham briefly threatened an equaliser, but Lanzini missed his kick in front of goal.
Instead Salah teed up Oxlade-Chamberlain to rifle in the second and keep Liverpool's inexorable title march on track.
Lanzini has struggled for form this season despite signing a new long-term contract last August, and a loud cheer was heard from sections of the West Ham supporters when he was substituted off against Liverpool.
Moyes has seen Lanzini in top form during his first spell as West Ham manager two years ago, and has backed the Argentine playmaker to step up.
Moyes said of Lanzini after the game: "He is arguably one of our best players, if not our best player, and when I was here before I needed him as much as I needed Marko Arnautovic.
"He was such a good player for us and I am desperate to get him back to the levels he was at.
"I trust him, I believe he can get back to those levels. He has had a bad injury and I need the supporters to be right behind him because we need him.
"At the moment he is our flair, he is our person that might make the difference. There is nobody more behind him than me."
Additional reporting by PA.
