Steven Gerrard scored twice against West Ham United to send Liverpool top of the Barclays Premier League and keep alive their slim title hopes.
With Manchester United playing on Sunday, Rafael Benitez's men overtook them on goal difference - but time has almost run out and they only have two matches left.
United have four matches and may not need them all to secure the title, although the efforts of Gerrard has at least stretched them well into May.
The 28-year-old's goals at Upton Park took his tally to 23 for the season, with Ryan Babel adding a late third to seal the win.
Liverpool's hopes this season have been built on the firepower of Fernando Torres and Gerrard - and the pair combined after 76 seconds for the opener.
Torres, back fit after a hamstring problem ruled him out of the win over Newcastle United, received the ball in midfield but was given the time to turn and pick his pass, threading the ball through to Gerrard beyond the Hammers defence.
empty net
The hosts were claiming offside but James Tomkins had played Gerrard on, with the England midfielder taking the ball around Robert Green and finishing into an empty net.
As West Ham attempted to find a way back into the game, Diego Tristan flicked a header at goal from Mark Noble's free-kick that required Jose Reina to save.
They got a little closer just before the half-hour mark when Noble earned a free-kick on the left and swung the set-piece into the danger area. Radoslav Kovac got in front of Reina to meet the ball but his header flew over the crossbar.
Their progress was undone when Luis Boa Morte suffered a nightmare 30 seconds which resulted in conceding a penalty just before the break.
He was furious that no free-kick was given when Javier Mascherano brought him down, then chased back to his own penalty area and hauled down Torres when Yossi Benayoun scooped the ball through.
Green saved Gerrard's spot-kick but the rebound fell to the Liverpool captain to tap home.
under pressure
David di Michele should have pulled a goal back when he seized on a mistake by Jamie Carragher. He raced through and got his feet tangled up as he tried to take the ball around Reina.
It was a bad miss and referee Alan Wiley rubbed salt in the wound by booking the Italian for diving.
Boa Morte was trying to atone for his own first-half error after the restart but one powerful run was ended by Fabio Aurelio, earning the full-back a caution.
Liverpool threatened to score a third, with Benayoun volleying over from Dirk Kuyt's cross and Torres looping a header just over the crossbar.
The Hammers defence looked under pressure but Matthew Upson was exposed in a different way when he received a bloody nose - the centre-back had to strip down to his underwear on the sidelines to change his kit.
Upson was among the players racing back when Liverpool broke on the hour mark, with the hosts saved by Green rushing out to block Kuyt's effort.
Benayoun then exchanged passes with Torres before shaving Green's post with a drive.
The visitors were able to keep out any genuine efforts and added a third through Babel with five minutes remaining.
Kuyt crossed for his fellow Dutchman, Green saved the initial header but the rebound was tapped home.
