Liverpool run riot against West Ham to book Carabao Cup semi-final spot

JUMPING FOR JOY: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Carabao Cup quarter final match at Anfield.

LIVERPOOL 5-1 WEST HAM UNITED

Liverpool booked their place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup with a dominant 5-1 win over West Ham United at Anfield.

Dominik Szoboszlai’s first-half piledriver set the Reds on their way, and after the break Jurgen Klopp’s side were able to cut loose, with Curtis Jones scoring twice, Cody Gakpo on target and substitute Mohamed Salah also getting in on the act.

Jarrod Bowen pulled a goal back for the Hammers, but they were comfortably second best, and their defeat leaves David Moyes without a win at Anfield in 21 visits as a manager.

As for Liverpool, they must surely fancy themselves now to win a record 10th League Cup, and the nature of their performance here, energetic, dominant and clinical, suggests those who had written them off as Premier League title challengers following their disappointing goalless draw against Manchester United on Sunday may have been more than a little premature.

Despite making six changes from the side that started that game, Jurgen Klopp sprung something of a surprise by naming the likes of Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk in his XI, although his bench did contain Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz, among others, ready to be used in an emergency.

West Ham, too, rotated, with Kurt Zouma, Lucas Paqueta and James Ward-Prowse all named among David Moyes’ substitutes.

Moyes arrived hoping to change a miserable record on this ground, but the Hammers were on the back foot from the off here, with Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott both going close inside the opening 10 minutes.

Elliott, starting on the right of Klopp’s attack, was inches away from opening the scoring on 14 minutes, sending his effort wide from the edge of the box after good work from Curtis Jones, with Liverpool seemingly intent on peppering Alphonse Areola’s goal from distance.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher removes a pie that was thrown from the pitch. Photo credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.

Their policy paid off handsomely on 28 minutes as Szoboszlai, who started the game with a point to prove, seemingly, collected a pass from Jarell Quansah and speared a terrific 25-yard strike across Areola and into the goalkeeper’s bottom right-hand corner for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Liverpool had looked lethargic and short of inspiration against United at the weekend, but they were as vibrant here as they have been for some time, and they almost extended their lead in the last minute of the first half as Cody Gakpo headed Harvey Elliott’s cross agonisingly past the far post.

Klopp’s side continued on the front foot after the break, with Nunez drawing a save from Areola after some neat footwork in the box and the impressive Jones dragging wide from 20 yards.

West Ham’s attacking had been non-existent to that point, but it took a good intervention from Kostas Tsimikas to stop Jarrod Bowen’s low cross finding Pablo Fornals at the back post as Moyes’ side belatedly found their way into the Liverpool half.

They were soon undone by a second Reds goal, though, and a fine one at that as Nunez slid a perfect pass through for Jones, who slid the ball through Areola’s legs from the tightest of angles.

Liverpool immediately sent on Salah and Alexander-Arnold, as well as Ibrahima Konate, and all would go on to impact the game from the bench.

Within seconds of his introduction, Salah had slipped a fine reverse pass through for Elliott, whose shot was saved by Areola.

Alexander-Arnold then fired in a cross-shot that somehow evaded Nunez at the far post, before Konate’s break from defence saw the ball worked to Gakpo, who struck a sweet strike low past Areola from the edge of the box to make it 3-0 on 71 minutes.

West Ham did get themselves on the scoresheet, Bowen finding space to curl a fine effort beyond Caoimhin Kelleher from Ben Johnson’s pass, 12 minutes from time.

But they were finished off by Salah, who ran onto Alexander-Arnold’s sublime throughball to slot home, and the brilliant Jones, who waltzed his way past four Hammers defenders to fire home five minutes from the end.

Liverpool (4-3-3): C Kelleher 6, J Gomez 7, J Quansah 8, V van Dijk 7 (I Konate 60, 7), K Tsimikas 7 (C Bradley 68, 7), W Endo 8 (T Alexander-Arnold 60, 7), D Szoboszlai 8 (M Salah 60, 7), C Jones 9, H Elliott 8, C Gakpo 7 (L Diaz 78), D Nunez 7.

Subs (not used): Adrian, B Clark, K Gordon, J McConnell.

Booked: Nunez.

Goals: Szoboszlai (28), Jones (56, 84), Gakpo (71), Salah (82).

West Ham United (4-2-3-1): A Areola 6, V Coufal 5 (T Kehrer 73, 6), A Ogbonna 5, K Mavropanos 5, B Johnson 5, T Soucek 5, E Alvarez 5 (D Ings 81), J Bowen 7, P Fornals 5, S Benrahma 5 (L Paqueta 57, 6), M Kudus 5 (J Ward-Prowse 73, 6).

Subs (not used): L Fabianski, A Cresswell, K Zouma, Emerson, D Mubama.

Booked: Alvarez.

Goals: Bowen (78).

Referee: T Robinson 6