Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has praised captain Steven Gerrard for his "outstanding" match-winning performance in the 2-1 win away to West Ham United.

The skipper kept his cool to convert two penalties at Upton Park this evening and send the Reds back to the summit of the Premier League table at the expense of Chelsea.

"I thought he was outstanding today, his range of passing, his pass for the first goal and his coolness," Rodgers told reporters.

"It's not by accident [his penalty success]. He studies the goalkeepers, he analyses the pattern of a goalkeeper's dive, where they make saves.

"He's got great variety, he can put the ball anywhere and as a manager to have someone as cool and as calm as him in those pressure situations, he did fantastically well."

The Merseyside outfit continue their assault on the title by hosting rivals Manchester City at Anfield next Sunday.