Liverpool fell to a third Premier League defeat of the season as early goals from Winston Reid and Diafra Sakho along with a late Morgan Amalfitano effort gave West Ham United a 3-1 win over the Reds in the day’s late kick-off.

It took the Hammers just 80 seconds to take the lead when a Stewart Downing freekick was headed on by Tompkins to Reid who bundled the ball in from a yard out.

The evening turned quickly worse for Liverpool seven minutes into the match when Sakho’s lobbed cross from inside the area went in over a static Simon Mignolet.

The poor start prompted Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers to bring on centerback Mamadou Sakho for fullback Javi Manquillo as the Reds changed formation to a three-man central defence and Raheem Sterling going wide.

The change stabilised Liverpool’s play and the visitors duly pulled one back in the 26th minute through Sterling who hit a fierce strike after Mario Balotelli’s initial effort was blocked.

Sterling and Balotelli continued to cause the West Ham defence trouble for the rest of the match, with Balotelli being denied three times by Hammers goalkeeper Adrian in the second half while Fabio Borini sent a curling snap-shot just over.

Liverpool’s dominance would be undone two minutes to full time when substitute Amalfitano was put through on goal by Downing, poking past Mignolet to seal the win for West Ham.

The result leaves Liverpool in midtable with six points from its opening five matches, six points behind league leaders Chelsea that face Manchester City on Sunday. West Ham meanwhile now occupy eighth place with seven points.