A controversial handball goal from Javier Hernandez helped West Ham come from behind to beat Fulham and deepen their relegation worries.
Hernandez bundled home an equaliser from close range with his left arm after Ryan Babel had given Fulham an early lead in a game they needed to win with time running out in their fight to stay up.
Replays on big screens inside the London Stadium showed Hernandez clearly used a hand but referee Lee Mason allowed the goal to stand.
Fulham had been on top but the goal but the goal changed the game and West Ham went ahead just before half time when Issa Diop took advantage of some awful defending to head in from a corner.
Michail Antonio added a third in the 90th minute to resign Fulham to a defeat that leaves them eight points from safety with 11 games remaining.
Cardiff lost 4-1 at Watford on Friday night and missed the chance to pull clear of Fulham but this was another disappointing night for the Cottagers.
They started well but the controversial equaliser knocked the stuffing out of the them.
West Ham move up to ninth with their first win since they beat Arsenal on January 12.
There was more good news for the Hammers when Manuel Lanzini (below) came off the bench in the second half to make his comeback after seven months out with a serious knee injury.
Ranieri had urged Fulham to take control of their destiny in their fight to stay up and the Cottagers started well and should have gone ahead inside a minute.
An underhit backpass from Pablo Zabaleta put Babel in the clear and one-on-one with Lukasz Fabianski but the former Liverpool winger delayed a shot and then had a weak effort saved.
It was a huge chance wasted but Babel made amends when he put Fulham ahead after just three minutes.
Ryan Sessegnon, back in the team to the delight of the Fulham fans, crossed from the left and Babel was left unmarked by some slack West Ham marking to tap home from close range.
The goal have Fulham real confidence and they were on top until the huge moment of controversy involving Hernandez got West Ham an equaliser on 29 minutes.
Fulham failed to deal with a corner and when Angelo Ogbonna headed the ball back across goal Hernandez turned the ball home with his hand from a yard out.
Replays showed the ball clearly struck Hernandez’s outstretched left arm but referee Lee Mason failed to spot it and Fulham were left to rue a clear injustice.
The goal changed the game and seemed to zap confidence from Fulham.
Fulham could complain about the equaliser but they only had themselves to blame for the goal that put West Ham ahead on 40 minutes.
Awful defending from a corner allowed Diop to power home a header from six yards.
Fulham rarely looked like getting back into the game in the second half and Antonio sealed the win late on when his header went in off the post.
Team line-ups, match action and reaction
West Ham XI: Fabianski, Zabaleta, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Snodgrass, Rice, Noble, Anderson, Antonio, Hernandez
Substitutes: Adrian, Fredericks, Obiang, Lanzini, Nasri Arnautovic, Carroll
Fulham XI: Sergio Rico; Odoi, Nordtveit, Ream, Bryan; Seri, Chambers; Babel, Cairney, Sessegnon; Mitrovic
Substitutes: Fabri, Christie, Le Marchand, Anguissa, Vietto, Ayite, Markovi
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