( CNN ) -- Talk about rubbing it in . As if Liverpool fans needed reminding of last season 's traumatic collapse with a long-awaited English Premier League title in sight , the club 's hangover was made very apparent Saturday . A 3-1 defeat at West Ham was the third in five matches for Brendan Rodgers ' team , coming after a last-gasp midweek win at home to Bulgarian underdog Ludogorets in the European Champions League . On Friday , West Ham manager Sam Allardyce -- who narrowly avoided the sack last season after his side 's slightly flattering 13th placing -- chided the Reds for having failed to break the recent dominance of the Manchester clubs and Chelsea . `` They were in pole position and had one hand on the trophy but they ended up throwing it away , '' he wrote in his newspaper column . `` They had no European football to distract them , their schedule was clear except for that one goal , that one focus . They were brilliant but they should have taken full advantage when they had it in the palm of their hands . '' If Allardyce -- once tipped as a future England manager but often derided for his functional long-ball tactics -- was attempting mind games then you could argue that it paid off . His team went 2-0 up inside seven minutes against a new-look Liverpool side still getting to grips with the departure of top scorer , game-changer and all-round mischief-maker Luis Suarez to Barcelona . New Zealand international defender Winston Reid scored the opener from close range -- his first goal since October 2013 -- and new signing Diafra Sakho netted his third in as many games with a speculative chip from the right . Liverpool pulled one back before halftime through England forward Raheem Sterling after Mario Balotelli 's shot was blocked , but the Italy striker made few other telling contributions apart from a booking when he clashed with goalkeeper Adrian . West Ham sealed victory in the 88th minute when Stewart Downing set up substitute Morgan Amalfitano , with Liverpool pressing for the equalizer . The win lifted the Londoners to eighth place , leaving last season 's runner-up Liverpool languishing in 10th -- six points behind leader Chelsea , which travels to champion Manchester City on Sunday . `` It 's a well-deserved victory -- it 's not a lucky one , it 's not Liverpool having an off day , it 's West Ham being absolutely brilliant on the day , '' Allardyce told UK broadcaster Sky Sports . `` I thought the first-half performance was absolutely outstanding -- in actual fact , I thought we should have been three or four up by halftime . '' It was the first time since December that Liverpool had lost successive league games , following last weekend 's 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa . `` We were nowhere near the standard today , '' said Rodgers , whose team face a midweek League Cup game against Middlesbrough before next Saturday 's Merseyside derby against Everton . `` It is just not quite happening for us at the moment . We have a lot of work to do and today was very disappointing in terms of performance . '' Villa had gone into the weekend in second place but fell back to earth with a bump , losing 3-0 to an Arsenal team smarting from a midweek Champions League defeat away to Borussia Dortmund . With new signing Alexis Sanchez rested by Arsene Wenger , World Cup winner Mesut Ozil was given the chance to shine in a more central role -- and the German duly delivered with the opening goal just after half an hour and an assist for new signing Danny Welbeck . An own-goal from Aly Cissokho made it three in the space of seven minutes , and the game was effectively over before halftime as Arsenal moved up to fourth . `` You have to show him the confidence is there and he showed he can respond when he was under scrutiny , '' Wenger said of Ozil , who has been strongly criticized for luckluster displays this season and in the second half of the previous one . `` It 's always a sensitive point , you do n't know how people respond to that . '' Villa boss Paul Lambert lamented the virus that had decimated his squad before the game . `` It 's a tough game for us when everyone is 100 % fit , but the lads were running on empty , '' said the Scot , who has been rewarded with a new contract until 2018 . At the other end of the managerial security spectrum , Newcastle 's Alan Pardew can thank substitute Papisse Cisse for giving him a lifeline . The Senegal striker , making his return after fracturing a kneecap in March , scored twice in the last 20 minutes to deny Hull in a 2-2 draw -- though Newcastle remained in the bottom three . Southampton moved up to second place , above Villa on goal difference , with a 1-0 win at Swansea thanks to an 80th-minute goal from sub Victor Wanyama -- the Kenyan midfielder 's first for the club . Queen 's Park Rangers salvaged a 2-2 draw at home to Stoke thanks to a late free-kick from Croatian veteran Niko Kranjcar , while Sunderland drew 0-0 at promoted Burnley .
Liverpool beaten for second successive match , losing 3 - 1 at West Ham . Last season 's Premier League runners - up in 10th place after five games . Arsenal bounces back from Champions League disappointment with victory . Mesut again inspires a blitz of three goals in seven minutes at Aston Villa .