WHEN it comes to causing Liverpool problems, it’s clear West Ham United can’t hold a candle to some volcanic ash.

In a week in which disruption both on and off the field threatens plans for a successful end to a tortuous campaign, last night proved uncharacteristically straightforward for Rafael Benitez and his players.

A comfortable home win against the relegation-threatened Hammers provided a welcome boost for morale ahead of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final first leg at Atletico Madrid.

Of course, the fallout from the volcanic eruption in Iceland requires Liverpool to embark today on a lengthy trek on planes, trains and automobiles to simply honour the fixture.

And while they may be without Fernando Torres for the rest of the season, Benitez’s side have demonstrated they retain the stomach for a fight.

Quite literally in the case of Yossi Benayoun, who used his midriff to divert home Steven Gerrard’s free-kick in the 19th minute and set Liverpool on their way back up to sixth place in the Premier League table.

With David Ngog filling the gaping Torres-shaped hole in Liverpool’s attack with a goal 10 minutes later, minds were already drifting towards the journey to Madrid long before Robert Green’s unfortunate own goal settled matters shortly before the hour.

Changes in the team, changes in the boardroom.

Martin Broughton took his seat on the front row of the directors’ box for the first time since being installed last week as chairman by co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to oversee the sale of the club.

As a Chelsea fan, he will have no doubt noted the ease at which Liverpool strolled to victory ahead of the Londoners’ crunch visit here in less than a fortnight.

But Broughton will also have been acutely aware of the swathes of empty seats around Anfield last night.

Sure, a televised Monday night game against lowly opposition is never going to be the greatest draw, but it’s clear supporters clearly disillusioned by the current regime voted with their feet, resulting in the lowest league attendance at Anfield since December 2004.

Recent form hasn’t helped.

Having taken just 12 points from their previous nine league games, Liverpool had effectively frittered away their hopes of a top-four place and a Champions League berth.

Indeed, leapfrogged by Aston Villa over the weekend and with Everton pressing hard, these three points were necessary to dissipate the danger of the ultimate ignominy of missing out on European qualification altogether.

West Ham haven’t won at Anfield since September 1963, and there was never any chance of that fact being altered here, the abject performance from Gianfranco Zola’s side far outshone by that of the boisterous travelling support.

Pepe Reina was virtually a spectator on his way to a 15th clean sheet in the Premier League this season, moving him one ahead of Petr Cech in the race for the Golden Gloves award.

The operation for Torres has at least ended the uncertainty that surrounded the striker’s availability in recent weeks, allowing Benitez to plan without his leading scorer for the remainder of the season.

It means Ngog can expect to play a leading role during the coming weeks, last night partnered by Dirk Kuyt with Liverpool operating a conventional 4-4-2 formation.