Which clubs will splash the cash in January?

Posted by Roger Bennett

The cavalry is coming. In the English Premier League, it always is. The rumor mill, which began to grind the second the summer transfer window shut in August, is about to crank into overdrive as the fleeting January window creaks open.

Halfway through the season, every club has developed a rigid narrative. United's midfield is gutless, Liverpool cry out for striking reinforcements, Aston Villa bleed goals. Each narrative will have a cascade of tall tales attached to them, shuffling on an hourly basis as teams, players and agents feed stories to a hungry media not averse to fabricating them entirely. Fans will embrace every badly reported rumor as a sliver of hope, like Charlie Brown charging to kick the football Lucy holds.

- ESPN FC Transfer Center
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January windows past are strewn with such carnage as Fernando Torres' infamous $80 million move to Chelsea, and Liverpool's $56.6 Andy Carroll acquisition that swiftly followed it. Although the brevity of the window makes this very much a seller's market, the impact of Newcastle's $13 million Papiss Cisse and Everton's $8 million Nikica Jelavic last season prove that value and instant impact can be found.

With every squad appearing imperfect this season, and so many teams clustered around both the Champions League places and the relegation trap door, moves aplenty will be made. So prepare to savor each piece of breaking news with the passion of a hardcore fan and the value system of a hardened cynic.

Here are nine teams that have been most actively/spuriously attached to rumors:

Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty ImagesUnited dream of Ronaldo's homecoming, but it's the team's central midfield that needs the most help.

Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson's “They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue” gambit has propelled United to a seven-point lead at the top of the table. Their soft midfield center has been regularly exposed, but this need is not new, and Ferguson has already managed fans' expectations by snuffing out ideas of a big move, vowing last weekend, “We won't be dashing around in a panic.”

It has been seven years since United made a long-term transfer in the window. For now, the dreams of Ronaldo's homecoming and Robert Lewandowski’s prospective summer move to Old Trafford will have to satiate fans as their imbalanced team attempts to win the league with forward firepower -- the footballing equivalent of a dubstep song that is overpowered with bass.

Manchester City
All rumors lead to the Etihad. A combination of piles of cash, inconsistent form and the faint stench of desperation means they are the team most likely to be outlandishly connected to pretty well everyone in this window, including Neymar and Ronaldo.

As odd as it may sound for a club that can field such talents as Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli, City desperately need to freshen up their attacking threat. Roberto Mancini's side have demonstrated a startling lack of penetration as the coach has futilely shuffled through his forward options to no avail. The club have been linked with Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente and Corinthians attacking midfielder Paulinho (who has also been linked with Chelsea). Mancini must also decide what to do with Mario Balotelli, who has become akin to the Premier League's "Gossip Girl," a soap opera most people grew to find tedious long before its finale aired.

Graham Stuart/AFP/Getty ImagesNewcastle's Demba Ba could provide the consistent goal-scoring threat Chelsea have been lacking.

Chelsea
It is notoriously difficult to find value in the January market, yet value has rarely been a concern at Stamford Bridge. A long-rumored blockbuster move for Atletico Madrid's scoring sensation Falcao has been silenced until the summer.

With Daniel Sturridge likely moving on, the club cannot wait to find a strike partner for the perpetually frustrated Fernando Torres. Sevilla's Alvaro Negredo has been mooted. A move for Barcelona's David Villa is intriguing, if only to see whether his arrival could prompt Torres to roll the mental clock back to the summer of 2008. Newcastle's Demba Ba seems the more likely arrival and could provide exactly what Chelsea need, a player able to put the ball in the net on a consistent basis.

Rumors of Leighton Baines' acquisition as an Ashley Cole replacement continue to rumble. The Everton left back provides many of Cole's strengths, minus his chafing social skills.

Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs traditionally attack the window with the cavalier approach of a fat man in a pie factory. Reports from Italy link them to Inter Milan's outcast Wesley Sneijder, a man whose marquee name masks a poor run of form. Sneijder's arrival may depend on the willingness of the Dutchman to accept a wage cut, but the ongoing story is a welcome respite from the rumors of prized asset Gareth Bale bolting for a salivating Real Madrid.

Everton
While it is unlikely the perpetual overachievers can top last year's window that saw the arrival of Jelavic from Rangers, Darron Gibson from Manchester United and the loan return of Steven Pienaar, their activities in January will be fascinating to watch. Can the cash-strapped club conjure coins to strengthen their push for the Champions League, or will they stand pat and risk losing both the talismanic Marouane Fellaini and their coveted manager David Moyes?

Injuries to Gibson and Kevin Mirallas have exposed a lack of squad depth. The club cry out for striking options to buttress the slumping Jelavic and would benefit from the addition of a spark-plug substitute. The cash will not flow, but few clubs have demonstrated a keener ability to shop on a budget, sourcing discarded or unknown talent. Club Brugge midfielder Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe is once more on their radar. Rumors also surround Paris Saint-Germain striker Guillaume Hoarau. But a third loan move for cult hero Landon Donovan seems highly unlikely.

David Price/Getty ImagesAs Theo Walcott plots his next move -- will he stay, or will he go? -- Arsenal have been linked to the likes of Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente.

Arsenal
While Arsene Wenger has been linked to Manchester United's Nani -- suggesting he believes there is nothing wrong with his team the arrival of an attacking midfielder with a questionable work ethic cannot solve -- the club still needs a reliable goal scorer to fill that RvP-sized hole upfront.

The squad is blessed with the comedy stylings of Gervinho, the rugged good looks of the swashbuckling Olivier Giroud and the inconsistent pace of Theo Walcott, so it comes as no surprise that Wenger has been linked to Llorente. David Villa has also been rumored, yet his age and transfer fee do not fit the typical Wenger equation. Most Arsenal fans will anxiously monitor the glacial contract negotiations with Walcott -- both to retain the threat of his pace and to prove symbolically theirs is not a sellers club.

Liverpool
The club has learned the old gambling maxim about how one tells who the patsy is at a poker table the hard way. Liverpool have been stung by so many recent Ponzi-scheme transfer equivalents, their American owners appear understandably gun-shy. Boston's FSG are struggling to impose fiscal responsibility and wrestle with a reported contempt for agent fees, yet their squad needs help all over the field and the board have no choice but to buy. Birmingham City's young goalkeeper Jack Butland has been strongly linked, and Chelsea's Sturridge is reportedly poised to sign to give Luis Suarez much-needed striking support.

Negotiations continue for the return of Blackpool's Tom Ince, which would be one of the more interesting stories of the window. The wing threat left Liverpool only 16 months ago for $400,000, and the club will have to pay considerably more to reclaim him. Wigan's Franco Di Santo has also been linked, having played for Brendan Rodgers at Chelsea, potentially furthering the manager's haphazard strategy of reuniting a motley bunch of former players in the red jersey of Liverpool.

Reading
Novice owner Anton Zingarevich is reportedly poised to turn the Berkshire club into the world headquarters for wayward Russians. Tottenham discard Roman Pavlyuchenko is consistently linked, and Andrei Arshavin is rumored ready to make a cut-price move from Arsenal and resuscitate his curiously diminished career amid the crucible of a relegation scrap.

Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesCan Harry Redknapp sort out the mess at Loftus Road?

Queen Park Rangers
Journalists may have learned to tiptoe round the phrase “wheeler-dealer” in the vicinity of Harry Redknapp, but three consecutive defeats mean the QPR manager will have to dabble assiduously to resuscitate his defective club.

Redknapp inherited an unmotivated, overpaid squad. Team owner Tony Fernandes should expect his checkbook to be further depleted by the end of January as Redknapp is linked to a litany of players, including defensive anchors Brede Hangeland of Fulham and Everton's Sylvain Distin, spare parts like Liverpool's Joe Cole and Chelsea's Frank Lampard, and proven goal scorers in exile Nicolas Anelka (Shanghai Shenhua) and Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy.) Redknapp articulated his modus operandi after Sunday's limp 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool. "I only want positive players around me. I said that in the dressing room after the match," he explained. "I don’t need miserable faces."

Roger Bennett is a columnist for ESPN FC and, with Michael Davies, is one of Grantland's "Men In Blazers." Follow him on Twitter @rogbennett.

Somalia: 'Al-Shabab' militants forced out of Jowhar

Somali troops and African Union forces have captured the town of Jowhar from the Islamist militant group, al-Shabab, reports say.

The troops encountered no resistance as the militants had fled, said a military spokesman and residents in the town.
Jowhar was the biggest town under the control of al-Shabab Islamists.
The al-Qaeda linked group has been driven out of most urban areas over the past two years, but still controls many rural areas of the country.
Jowhar, 90km (55 miles) north of the capital, Mogadishu, commands access to Somalia's biggest road linking the southern and central regions of the country. It is also at the heart of a rich agricultural area.
'Strategic' Correspondents say its fall is a major blow to the militants.

"We will hunt the invaders from inside and outside Jowhar”

Abdiaziz Abu Musab Al-Shabab spokesman

"We took control this morning and are now establishing security in Jowhar," a spokesman for the AU mission in Somalia, Amisom, told AFP news agency.

"Amisom troops alongside Somali National Forces entered the town, there was little fighting as the Shabab largely fled ahead of us," Col Ali Houmed said.
AFP quoted an al-Shabab spokesman as saying the militants had withdrawn "for strategic reasons" and remained "close by".
"We will hunt the invaders from inside and outside Jowhar," Abdiaziz Abu Musab said.
Al-Shabab were forced out of the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011 by African Union troops who, with government forces, went on to take control of most of the militant-held towns.
Alongside the recent military gains, a new Somali president took office in September, raising some hopes of a return to law and order after two decades of anarchy.
From BBC

Duchess hoax: Australian radio station to review practices

 

The company that owns 2Day FM says it will cooperate with any investigation

The Australian radio station at the centre of the UK royal hospital hoax death says it is going to review its broadcasting practices.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha was found dead three days after putting through a call that gathered details of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge's condition.
The hoax call was made by DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who have been taken off air and are being counselled.
Neither have commented but do want to speak to the media, a spokeswoman said.
'Truly tragic' The board of Southern Cross Austereo, which owns the radio station, 2DayFM, met on Sunday to discuss a highly critical letter from the hospital which was the victim of the prank call.
Southern Cross Austereo chairman Max Moore-Wilton promised in a letter to the chairman of King Edward VII's Hospital that the company would co-operate with any investigation.

 

An inquest into Mrs Saldanha's death is due to open in the next few days

He said: "We are all saddened by the events of the last few days. They are truly tragic.
"It is too early to know the full details leading to this tragic event and we are anxious to review the results of any investigation that may be made available to us or made public.
"We can assure you that we will fully cooperate with all investigations.
"As we have said in our own statements on the matter, the outcome was unforeseeable and very regrettable.
"I can assure you we are taking immediate action and reviewing the broadcast processes involved."
'Desire to speak' An inquest into Mrs Saldanha's apparent suicide is due to be opened in the next few days.
She was pronounced dead on Friday morning at staff accommodation close to the hospital.
She had answered the presenters' call and, believing they were members of the Royal Family, put them through to another nurse, who described the Duchess of Cambridge's condition in detail.

 

 DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian have been receiving counselling

There has been a strong reaction both in the UK and Australia towards Ms Greig and Mr Christian since the death of Mrs Saldanha, and both have been receiving counselling.
Both deleted their Twitter accounts and were taken off the air, but a Southern Cross Austereo spokeswoman said they had "expressed a desire to speak".
"We haven't ascertained when they're ready for that and how we're going to organise that, but they certainly want to," the spokeswoman said.
The nurse's family were being comforted by relatives and friends at their home in Bristol.
In a statement last night, Ms Saldanha's family said they were "deeply saddened" by the death and asked for privacy.
Meanwhile, Prince William will not attend the British Military Tournament in London later on Sunday.
A St James' Palace spokesman said the prince had opted instead to spend Sunday privately with the duchess, who had been in hospital with an extreme form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum.

Egypt crisis: Opposition considers response to Morsi move

The BBC's Shaimaa Khalil says President Morsi's opponents warn he has not heeded their main complaint

Opposition leaders in Egypt are due to meet to co-ordinate their response to President Mohammed Morsi's decision to scrap expanded powers - while sticking to a planned constitutional referendum.

Halting the referendum is a key demand of the opposition and some have already dismissed Mr Morsi's latest move.
The president's critics accuse him of acting like a dictator, but he says he is safeguarding the revolution.
His supporters are due to gather in the capital Cairo later on Sunday.
Strikes The opposition National Salvation Front is meeting on Sunday before issuing a formal response.
Mahmoud el-Alayli, deputy secretary general for the Free Egyptians Party - a member of the NSF - told the BBC Mr Morsi needed to postpone the 15 December referendum on "this constitution which was prepared by an assembly whose legitimacy was and still is very questionable".

Analysis

Shaimaa Khalil BBC News, Cairo

The opposition appears to have won half the battle. The president did not budge on the sticking point of the referendum on the controversial draft constitution.
Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki said if the draft constitution was rejected by a popular vote then elections would be held for a new constituent assembly.
The reaction of the main opposition National Salvation Front will now be key to how events shape politically.
Since the announcement of the decree on Mr Morsi's powers, Egypt has been deeply polarised. It remains to be seen whether this annulment will defuse tension on Egypt's volatile streets.

If the president refused, the opposition would call strikes across the country, Mr Alayli told the Newshour programme.

"We are going to be on the streets in all the cities everywhere," he said.
However, Mohamed Soudan, foreign relations secretary of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, said President Morsi was constitutionally bound to go ahead with the vote.
The draft constitution was endorsed by a constitutional assembly dominated by Mr Morsi's Islamist allies.
The army has built a wall of concrete blocks to seal off and protect the presidential palace, which has been the focus of opposition demonstrations.
The situation is as tense as ever, says the BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo.
Mr Morsi's decree of 22 November stripped the judiciary of any right to challenge his decisions and triggered violent protests on the streets of Cairo.
Although the decree has been annulled, some decisions taken under it still stand.
The general prosecutor, who was dismissed, will not be reinstated, and the retrial of the former regime officials will go ahead.
Egypt's powerful military has warned it will not allow Egypt to spiral out of control and has called for talks to resolve the conflict.
The president's supporters say the judiciary is made up of reactionary figures from the old regime of strongman Hosni Mubarak.
But his opponents have mounted almost continuous protests since the decree was passed.
Several people have been killed in the recent spate of anti-government protests, and the presidential palace has come under attack.
The Cairo headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement to which Mr Morsi belongs, were set on fire.
From BBC

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand hurt by thrown coin

 

City's Joe Hart stopped a fan confronting Ferdinand after he was injured

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand was left with a head wound after apparently being struck by a coin during his team's match at Manchester City.

Ferdinand received a cut above his left eye after it hit him as he celebrated Robin van Persie's winning goal.
The FA said it had opened an investigation into the incident, while Manchester City condemned it and apologised to the player.
Ferdinand tweeted that he was hit by a 2p coin. United won the game 3-2.
He tweeted: "Whoever threw that coin, what a shot! Can't believe it was a copper 2p... could have at least been a £1 coin!"

 

 Ferdinand appeared to pick up an object from the pitch

Ferdinand was left with blood running down his face after the incident, and he appeared to pick up an object which he later showed to referee Martin Atkinson as he left the pitch.
While trying he was trying to recover, a Manchester City fan ran on to the field towards him, but was stopped by Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart before he could reach the defender.
In another tweet, referring to Hart stepping in to the fray, Ferdinand added: "Respect to Joe Hart for protecting that idiot who ran on!! Love the banter between fans but there is a point when it goes too far...calm it!"
The man was then taken away by police officers.
A Football Association (FA) spokesman said it would liaise with Greater Manchester Police and await reports from its crowd control adviser and the match referee.
He added: "It is disappointing that after a great game and advert for the Premier League that we are discussing this issue.
"We will work with the clubs and authorities to identify those responsible and support the strongest sanctions available including life bans.
'Identify the guilty' "We condemn any such acts and it is simply unacceptable that any player is exposed to injury in this way. To witness Rio Ferdinand leaving the field with a cut above his eye to receive treatment is appalling.
"Football in this country has made great progress over recent decades. However, we must maintain the safety and security inside of our stadia and to do this we need to isolate and identify any individuals guilty of offences with strong penalties to act as a deterrent to others."
A spokesman for Manchester City said CCTV footage of the incident at the Etihad Stadium was being reviewed.

 

 United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said it was "unfortunate" that the object had been thrown

He said: "We apologise to Rio. We condemn the actions of the individual concerned. We will support the police with any investigation and hopefully identify the person as soon as possible."
The club added: "[Greater Manchester Police]'s review of all fan behaviour at today's match will be fully supported by the club, through the provision of CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts.
"Following this review, and any associated police action, the club will also apply its own disciplinary policies for any fans found guilty of offences."
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said no arrests had been made in relation to the incident.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said it was "unfortunate" that the object had been thrown.
He said: "That shouldn't happen. The same thing happened at Chelsea, which was masked by all the other things. We could have done without that.
"We can do without that, after a great game between two sides."
In an unrelated incident, police arrested a man on suspicion of committing a racially aggravated public order offence during the game.
The man was held after officers reported hearing racist chanting from the crowd.
From BBC

Australian DJs face backlash over hoax death

By Phil Mercer BBC News, Sydney

 

The 2Day FM radio station in Sydney has suspended commercials until Monday

Accused of having blood on their hands by furious listeners, the Australian DJs at the centre of the UK royal hospital hoax tragedy have been taken off air as the public backlash intensifies.

As the pressure mounts, the bosses of troubled Sydney radio station 2Day FM have suspended until Monday all commercials, after some of Australia's best-known companies, including telecommunications giant Telstra and supermarket heavyweight Coles, withdrew their advertising.
"We understand Australians are clearly angry and upset by what appear to be tragic consequences of the 2Day FM UK hospital prank," Coles announced as news came through of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha.
Social media have been bombarded with comments, many castigating radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian, whose spoof conversation with hospital staff in London, posing as the Queen and Prince Charles, backfired so disastrously.
The duo have deleted Twitter accounts, as a cascade of criticism came hurtling through cyberspace, including reports of death threats.
"Not so darn funny now is it? A British nurse is DEAD for the sake of a couple of cheap laughs. Shame on you!" wrote one angry contributor to 2Day FM's Facebook page.
Speaking at a press conference, Rhys Holleran, the chief executive of Southern Cross Austereo, which owns the popular Sydney-based music station, said Greig and Christian had been offered counselling.
"I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it's fair to say they're completely shattered. These people aren't machines, they're human beings. We're all affected by this," Mr Holleran said.
'Professional support' Amid the storm, there is some support and sympathy for the DJs. Jeff Kennett, the chairman of Australia's national depression charity, Beyond Blue, said the radio pair had no intention of causing any harm and urged the public not to condemn them.

 

DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian were said to be "shattered"

"This is an absolute tragedy, but the ramifications of which we've got to make sure we don't magnify," said Mr Kennett, the former state premier of Victoria.
"I just hope that they get our support and that their employer provides them with professional support to help them get through what will be a terrible few weeks."
The management of 2Day insists that no laws have been broken, although the station could end up in court for broadcasting a secretly recorded private conversation.
Experts believe, though, that a prosecution is unlikely; the industry regulator will now decide if legislation or codes of practice have been breached.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will investigate several complaints about the pre-recorded prank.
The radio station has received two warnings from the watchdog over previous stunts.
2Day FM is a ratings powerhouse, especially in the lucrative 25-39 age bracket. It remains Sydney's most popular music network, with an audience share of about 10%.
In August 2009, shock-jock Kyle Sandilands was criticised by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd after a 14-year old girl revealed she had been raped during a lie-detector stunt.
The controversial breakfast show host has revelled in the notoriety and remains a dominant force in the competitive Sydney radio market.
However, the fledgling careers of two colleagues who until this week were largely unknown to most Australians must now be in doubt.
Michael Christian had basked in the attention that he and his colleague Mel Greig, a former reality TV star, had obtained for their hospital hoax.
"The only bad thing about our Royal Prank… is knowing that I will NEVER EVER top this,'' he posted on Facebook. "Less than a week in the job & I've already peaked."
Station bosses have ordered the pair to keep out of the spotlight before they decide when and if they can return to the airwaves.

Stephen Baldwin charged with tax evasion

 

Stephen Baldwin in the younger brother of 30 Rock star, Alec

Hollywood actor and former Celebrity Big Brother contestant Stephen Baldwin has been charged with tax evasion.

Mr Baldwin, best known for The Usual Suspects, pleaded not guilty to the charge of failure to file personal income tax returns.
Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said Mr Baldwin, 46, owes more than $350,000 (£218,000) in tax and penalties.
Prosecutors said the actor may face up to four years in prison if convicted.
"We cannot afford to allow wealthy residents to break the law by cheating on their taxes," Mr Zugibe said.
"The defendant's repetitive failure to file returns and pay taxes over a period of several years contributes to the sweeping cutbacks and closures in local government and in our schools."
Prosecutors in Rockland County, about 15 miles north west of New York, accuse Mr Baldwin of failing to pay state personal income taxes from 2008 to 2010. Mr Baldwin argues that he had poor financial representation at the time in question.
Mr Baldwin's lawyer, Russell Yankwit, insisted the actor "did not commit any crimes", adding that he was "working with the district attorney's office and the New York State Tax Department to resolve any differences".
Bankruptcy filing
Speaking after his court appearance, Mr Baldwin told Reuters news agency that he had handed over a $100,000 (£62,000) cheque to the state on Thursday.
"My ability to make the payment I did today, is a sign to the state and district attorney, that I'm working to get this resolved," Mr Baldwin said.
Stephen Baldwin is the youngest brother of the Baldwin acting dynasty which includes Alec, William and Daniel.
He filed for bankruptcy in 2009, with legal papers suggesting he owed $1.2m (£748,000) on two mortgages, $1m (£623,000) in taxes and $70,000 (£43,640) on credit cards.
The actor, who is married with two daughters, became a born again Christian following the terror attacks on 11 September 2001.
His early career included roles in acclaimed films such as Last Exit to Brooklyn and Born on the Fourth of July.
More recently he has appeared in a number of TV reality shows including the US version of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here in 2009 and Britain's Celebrity Big Brother in 2010.
He currently co-hosts a US radio show with conservative pundit Kevin McCullough.
Speaking to Piers Morgan on US TV on Thursday, his elder brother Alec said that Stephen's mistakes were "no different than millions of other people".
"I don't think he's going to jail," the 30 Rock star said, adding that he was in "a negotiated settlement".
From BBC

Liverpool surprised over Samaras link

By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent

Liverpool sources have told ESPN of their surprise over a report in the Sun which linked them with a January move for Celtic striker Georgios Samaras.

GettyImagesGeorgios Samaras netted against Barcelona

Samaras, 27, impressed in the 2-1 win against Barcelona in the Champions League and hit three goals in five starts in the group stages to help them qualify for the last-16. However, the Greek international’s contract is running down and expires in 2014, with a report suggesting he could be sold for around £5 million in January.
Liverpool were thought to be interested as they have only one fit striker in their squad - Luis Suarez - but sources at the club revealed to ESPN that Samaras does not fit the criteria that Brendan Rodgers is after and if they had wanted a player of his type then they would not have let Andy Carroll leave for West Ham on loan.
One player who is on Rodgers’ radar is Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge, although both the fee and his reported wage demands are significant barriers to any potential deal.

Liverpool battle to victory at West Ham

West Ham United 2-3 Liverpool

Liverpool proved they could win without talismanic striker Luis Suarez as they fought from behind to take three points from Upton Park.
Uruguay international Suarez was serving a one-match ban but the Reds struck twice late in the game to seal a win that sees them leapfrog West Ham in the table.
Former Hammers' defender Glen Johnson opened the scoring for the visitors with a tremendous effort before a Mark Noble penalty and Steven Gerrard own goal turned the game in West Ham's favour before the break.
 
It was another West Ham academy graduate in substitute Joe Cole who pulled the visitors level in the second half with a James Collins own goal completing the comeback for Liverpool.
Gerrard, returning to captain the visitors after recovering from illness, saw an early effort deflected behind for a corner following some good work by Jonjo Shelvey.
West Ham then had a few minutes of dominance and Mohamed Diame, a one-time Liverpool target, saw his shot deflect off the back of team-mate Carlton Cole and drift just wide of Jose Reina's goal.
West Ham's Matt Jarvis was getting a lot of the ball down the left flank but was soon found wanting when he was tested defensively.
Gerrard played the ball out to Johnson on the touchline and the England full-back cut inside Jarvis with ease before arrowing a strike past the out-stretched hand of Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Johnson did not celebrate out of respect for his former club but the Liverpool bench was up in unison as the visitors grabbed an early lead.
Raheem Sterling had two chances to double Liverpool's advantage, firstly firing wide of Jaaskelainen's near post as Gerrard's shot was cleared straight to his feet.
Moments later Johnson again got the beating of former Wolves winger Jarvis and rolled the ball into Sterling's path, but the 18-year-old's low drive was just off target.
West Ham started to get more into the game after 25 minutes and again began testing the Liverpool defence with a number of high balls into the area, with their equaliser duly coming nine minutes before the interval.
A West Ham set-piece was cleared as far as Guy Demel whose shot hit the arm of Joe Allen as the former Swansea man closed him down.
Referee Lee Probert deemed the block to be intentional and pointed to the spot, with Noble stepping up to coolly convert the penalty.
Matthew Taylor, recalled to the starting line-up by Sam Allardyce after making an impact as a substitute against Chelsea last weekend, then headed high and wide from close range as West Ham started to take control.
The spell of pressure yielded a second goal for Allardyce's side, albeit it in fortunate circumstances.
Liverpool switched off after conceding a free-kick which Noble took quickly and found Jarvis in space on the left.
The 26-year-old produced yet another fantastic delivery into the box and the ball was sent flying past Reina off the head of Gerrard.
Shelvey then had a good opportunity to level on the stroke of half-time when he was picked out by Stewart Downing but his shot was well wide.
The second half started with both sides looking to be more creative in possession although neither Reina nor Jaaskelainen was tested before the hour-mark.
Sterling came close to levelling as his left-foot effort from the edge of the penalty area forced Jaaskelainen to flick the ball over his bar for a corner.
Shelvey had worked hard in an unfamiliar attacking role all afternoon and saw a header flash wide with 20 minutes remaining before Rodgers introduced Jordan Henderson in place of the ineffectual Lucas.
A serious looking leg injury suffered by Diame made Allardyce's afternoon even worse, with the in-form midfielder replaced by James Tomkins after pulling up hurt.
Joe Cole had been introduced by Liverpool before the game was 30 minutes old and was warmly received by the home fans.
The former Chelsea playmaker has struggled during his time with Liverpool and had little impact on the game until he struck a venomous equaliser after being played in by Sterling and, like Johnson, he refused to celebrate the goal.
 

Jonjo Shelvey diverts the ball towards goal to complete the comeback

The turnaround was completed just 12 minutes from time as Henderson swung in a low cross that Shelvey and Collins competed for with the balling looping up off the boot of the West Ham defender and over a helpless Jaaskelainen.
Sterling almost burst through to wrap up the game for the visitors, who saw out the five minutes of stoppage time to creep into the top half of the table.
From ESPN