Ian Rush's sixth goal in seven matches gave Liverpool a well-deserved three points against relegation-haunted Oldham.
It needed a spectacular effort to enliven a largely drab match in which Oldham were rarely able to threaten but Liverpool looked strangely incapable of turning their dominance into goals.
There seemed little danger as Rush took Steve McManaman's 60th minute pass in his stride and broke down the right, swaying inside while Mark Walters made room for him with an intelligent overlapping run.
But, with everyone expecting a pass, the Welsh marksman glanced up and unleashed a rising left-footed shot from the edge of the box that sailed into the top corner past started 'keeper Paul Gerrard.
Liverpool full-back Rob Jones had almost scored after seven minutes, his first shot bouncing back to him off Neil Pointon and his second rebounding to safety off the post.
Three minutes later, McManaman's angled drive was well parried by Gerrard but ran invitingly to Walters, who stumbled over the ball with the goal at his mercy.
In the second half, McManaman fired another great chance straight at Gerrard after good work by Rush who himself had a low shot from a tight ankle well saved by the busy Oldham 'keeper.
When Gerrard missed a cross in the 76th minute, Rush headed powerfully towards goal but Pointon denied the Welshman his second goal with a headed clearance off the line. Gerrard made up for his blunder moments later with a magnificent save to palm Don Hutchison's shot over the bar.
Oldham, perhaps recalling their retrieval of a two-goal deficit in the last five minutes against Everton at Goodison Park a few weeks ago, staged a desperate late rally, but despite a couple of goalmouth scrambles and two telling one-handed interceptions by 'keeper David James, there was to be no reprieve this time for Joe Royle's side.
Royle paid tribute to the fine Ian Rush goal: "It was a terrific strike that probably didn't belong in that game. It should have been the winner in a 4-3 thriller," said the Oldham boss, a former centre-forward.
"Rush is always a threat - he's a terrific player. If they give him a free transfer, we are interested!"
Royle said skipper Mike Milligan went off in the first half because of the twisted knee he had suffered against Sheffield Wednesday, and Ian Olney, who lasted until half-time, was suffering from a heavy bout of flu.
But he admitted: "Until the last quarter of an hour we never showed anything like what was required to win a game like this. I am disappointed really because we had shown the right stuff of late."
Liverpool boss Graeme Souness said: "Rush's goal was worth waiting for. His header later deserved a goal as well. Neil Pointon deserves a mention for managing to clear that one."
Copyright - British Soccer Week