Liverpool moved to the summit of the Premier League but only by one point after West Ham held on for a creditable 0-0 draw at Anfield.

Following Chelsea's shock defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, Rafael Benitez's men had the chance to move three points clear of the Blues, but a lacklustre display coupled with a dogged performance from Gianfranco Zola's men meant that the Reds left the field with only a solitary point, with a chorus of boos from the Anfield crowd ringing in their ears.

Just as Stoke and Fulham had done before them this season, the Hammers set out to frustrate Liverpool, who without Fernando Torres, lacked the required cutting edge.

The east Londoners actually came closest to breaking the deadlock when Craig Bellamy rattled the post in the first half but Zola will be more than happy to see his side keep their third consecutive clean sheet and win first Premier League point at Anfield in almost 10 years.

Albert Riera's side-footed attempt following Robert Green's poor punch was cleared off the line by Matthew Upson after only 12 minutes, before Carlton Cole came to his keeper's rescue 10 minutes later, hacking away Sami Hyypia's close-range header from underneath the crossbar with Green well beaten.

Steven Gerrard shot into the side-netting when he cleverly cut inside from the right, beating two defenders on his way, before Liverpool old-boy Craig Bellamy nearly grabbed a shock lead for the visitors eight minutes before the break, unleashing a 25-yard drive that crashed off the inside of Jose Reina's post.

The second period began in a similar fashion to how the first ended, with the hosts enjoying plenty of possession but unable to break the visitors' resistance.

Yossi Benayoun was brilliantly denied by Green, the Israeli seeing his goal-bound volley from 12 yards wonderfully tipped over the bar by the Hammers stopper.

Robbie Keane appeared disgusted to be hauled off again at Anfield when he was replaced by David N'Gog with 25 minutes left as Rafael Benitez watched his men toil, and the Spaniard nearly saw West Ham grab the lead when Carlton Cole's header from Bellamy's corner flashed narrowly wide.

Ryan Babel was then introduced, perhaps belatedly, with 10 minutes to go with the deadlock appearing no nearer to being broken, despite Hyypia's header flashing across the face of goal, just beyond the reach of Dirk Kuyt in the 82nd minute.

Kuyt's weak shot was blocked by Green in the 88th minute while substitute Luis Boa Morte blazed horribly wide in the last minute when presented with an opportunity to claim a dramatic late victory.