Fernando Torres scored twice as Liverpool held off a brave fightback from West Ham United to claim a deserved victory in a five-goal thriller at Upton Park.
Torres put the Reds in front in the 19th minute with a fine solo goal but debutant Alessandro Diamanti levelled from the penalty spot.
Dirk Kuyt restored Liverpool's lead in the 40th minute but Carlton Cole levelled a minute before the interval. Torres settled a pulsating game when he headed home from close range in the 75th minute.
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano was restored to the Reds' line-up against his former side at Upton Park after recovering from a back injury.
Mascherano took the place of Albert Riera to line up alongside Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun who both passed fitness tests.
The home side welcomed back long-term absentee Valon Behrami and Herita Ilunga took his place in the starting XI after a cheek injury.
The Hammers were presented with a glorious chance to take the lead with just two minutes gone as Jamie Carragher dithered over Glen Johnson's pass and let Zavon Hines in.
The striker could not have asked for a simpler chance but although he beat Jose Reina, his shot hit the near post before the Spanish goalkeeper gratefully gathered the rebound.
Another Carragher mistake on the halfway line gave Cole room to run at the Liverpool goal but this time Martin Skrtel made a wonderful saving challenge.
The frenetic pace continued as Liverpool worked an early chance of their own, neat work from Steven Gerrard and Torres leaving Benayoun one on one with Rob Green.
The former Hammer side-footed at goal but failed to extend Green.
Torres also had a muted penalty appeal turned down when his shot hit Ilunga on the hand.
In the 15th minute the home team had another chance, Cole bundling the ball to Hines from Julien Faubert's cross. But the chance came too quickly and Hines' connection was minimal.
Torres, meanwhile, acrobatically volleyed wide after 17 minutes before opening the scoring three minutes later.
The Spaniard broke down the left flank, bamboozled James Tomkins and poked home at the near post to make it 1-0.
Torres was proving to be a real thorn in West Ham's side and was confident enough to try his luck from 30-yards in the 26th minute. But his shot was far too high and failed to trouble Green.
West Ham's woes continued moments later when Behrami was forced out of the action through injury and replaced by Radoslav Kovac.
It was the second enforced change for Gianfranco Zola's side who lost Upson earlier in the opening half.
But the home side were back in the game in the 28th minute when referee Andre Marriner adjudged that Hines had been pushed by Carragher.
Diamanti stepped-up to take the penalty and even though he put the ball into the net, the striker appeared to slip as he connected with the ball and touched it twice.
But Liverpool went back in front five minutes before the end of an eventual opening 45 minutes.
An outswinging corner from Benayoun was headed towards the far post by Steven Gerrard only for Kuyt to stick out a foot and poke the ball into the corner of the net in the 40th minute.
But a minute before the half-time whistle, England striker Cole rose highest in the six-yard box to meet Mark Noble's corner and head United level for the second time in the match.
Hines was giving Liverpool's defence a great deal of cause for concern. Javier Mascherano could only bring the winger down in the 49th minute and his mistimed tackle earned the Liverpool player a yellow card.
Liverpool enjoyed the better of the opening period of the half but a West Ham corner in the 59th minute almost caught them out.
Debutant Diamanti sent an inswinging corner into the Reds' six-yard box and Reina had to tip the ball away for another flag-kick as it threatened to end up in the net.
A fabulous run into the West Ham penalty area by Benayoun almost brought Liverpool a third but the home defence cleared the ball at the last hurdle.
West Ham were suffering from the lack of a killer final ball. Substitute Keiron Dyer made a superb run deep into the Liverpool half in the 68th minute but he could not supply the final ball to put Cole clear.
Liverpool's Babel tried his luck from 25 yards but his accuracy was found wanting as the ball went high over the crossbar and into the crowd.
Torres put Liverpool back in front in the 75th minute when he headed a cross from Babel into the corner from eight yards.
Liverpool had Reina to thank seconds later for hanging on to their lead when he had to be at his best to prevent a header from Kovac from finding the back of the net.
