Liverpool racked up back-to-back Premier League wins against West Ham.

Darwin Nunez put Jurgen Klopp’s side in the lead on 22 minutes with a well-taken header to meet Kostas Tsimikas’ cross from the left-hand side.

But the Reds required Alisson’s heroics on the stroke of half time to keep them ahead after he denied Jarrod Bowen superbly from the penalty spot.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

Nunez inflicts more capital punishment

Slowly but surely, Darwin Nunez’s Liverpool spell is starting to kick into gear.

The signs were already starting to show earlier this month when he became a proficient outlet during their routine Champions League win over Rangers.

Since then, the Uruguayan has found the net three times in the Reds’ next four games, with his goal threat improving after each passing appearance.

West Ham’s defence struggled to contain him and ultimately paid the price when he rose to power Kostas Tsimikas’ cross with a downward header.

Nunez also extended a personal streak with a third goal in his four outings against London clubs, although his tally could have been considerably higher.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a total of five first-half chances with his best after scoring seeing a thunderous volley rattle Lukasz Fabianski’s left-hand post.

It was always a case of when, not if, Nunez hit his stride but with Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota’s injuries, his latest capital punishment was perfectly timed.

No quiet nights at the office for Reds

Ironically it was Nunez’s withdrawal, just 12 minutes after the interval, which changed the nature of Liverpool’s second battling one-goal league victory.

Shorn of their summer signing, Jurgen Klopp’s side were unable to replicate his presence and output against a marginally improved Hammers’ backline.

Unlike last weekend’s blood-and-thunder victory over Manchester City, the visitors never appeared in any real danger of delivering another slugfest.

Still, Liverpool did not enjoy what could be classed a quiet night at the office as the Londoners’ bid for an equaliser preyed on Anfield’s palpable anxiety.

Thanks to Alisson’s heroics and a James Milner intervention, they weathered that storm to record consecutive clean sheets for the first time in this season.

Yet the noticeable unease swirling around the famous old stadium’s stands that matched the autumnal winds highlighted Liverpool’s current predicament.

Confidence has been short in supply at the start of this campaign and another set of back-to-back wins is only the start of an ongoing quest for consistency.

Alisson heroics strengthen No.1 claim

Andy Robertson recently hailed Alisson as the world’s best goalkeeper.

Opinions are invariably subjective but Liverpool’s left-back may have hit upon something with that vaunting of the club’s No.1 after his latest appearance.

Fresh from assisting Mohamed Salah against City last Sunday, the Brazilian had to be in shot-stopping mode from first-half stoppage time onward.

The onus fell on Alisson to keep his side ahead when Stuart Attwell belatedly awarded a penalty after Joe Gomez had bundled Jarrod Bowen in the area.

Undoubtedly, Bowen’s ensuing spot kick lacked execution but the Liverpool stopper confidently guessed correctly and dived right to push his effort away.

After the break, West Ham failed to truly test Alisson for large parts of the second half, with mostly tame efforts which he was able to comfortably repel.

Even when Milner’s intervention took the sting off Tomas Soucek’s late goal-bound effort, the 30-year-old still had to deflect the ball away with his feet.

Throughout his four years at Anfield, Alisson had been forced to vie for top billing alongside an all-star cast of the finest goalkeepers in a generation.

That battle continues but his case to make the top spot is now a compelling one.