West Ham United have taken a 2-1 lead over Liverpool into the halfway stage of their Premier League match thanks to two goals inside the opening seven minutes.

It took the hosts just over a minute to make the breakthrough, as Stewart Downing's free kick was headed across goal by James Tomkins and nodded in from close range by Winston Reid.

West Ham doubled their lead in the seventh minute when Diafra Sakho's cross from the right missed everyone in the middle and looped in at the back post.

The Hammers were in complete control and Simon Mignolet had to be at full stretch to tip Aaron Cresswell's swerving effort wide of the post.

In the 26th minute, Liverpool pulled a goal back through Raheem Sterling, who fired in after Mario Balotelli's blocked shot had fallen kindly to him on the edge of the box.

Enner Valencia was the next to threaten for hosts soon after, but his low free kick was beaten away by Mignolet.

Valencia and Tomkins both saw further attempts saved in the final minutes of the half as West Ham held on to take their advantage into the break.