Jota and Gakpo braces fire Liverpool past West Ham
JOT IT DOWN: Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game against West Ham in the Caraboa Cup. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.
Liverpool's formidable strike force underlined their goal power by firing Arne Slot to his sixth win in his first seven games as manager to clinch a place in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
Two strikes each from Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo plus one from Mo Salah proved too much for West Ham who took the lead after an unfortunate own goal by Jarrell Quansah.
Jota took only five minutes to equalise and then put Slot's side in front early in the second half.
But it was substitute Salah's goal after 73 minutes that killed off the Hammers who were threatening an equaliser at that point when Liverpool had some smart saves from Caoimhin Kelleher to thank for preserving their lead.
It was their first game outside of London this season and given their Anfield record they would have wished for an easier away trip. They have only won once in Liverpool's back yard since the days of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters in 1963-64 season.
They put up a decent fight for much of the game but ended up losing by the same score line as they did last season in a quarter-final tie at Anfield.
Just to add to their misery they had Edson Alvarez sent off in the second half for a second caution after a foolish foul on Salah.
Both managers rotated their squads and made wholesale changes with Slot making nine - including giving new boy Federico Chiesa his first start - and Julen Lopetegui making eight following the 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea.
Liverpool dominated the early possession but the Hammers had the better chances. Jean-Clair Todibo Tshould have done better with a headed chance at the far post following a corner, Kelleher had to save at his near post from Jarrod Bowen while former Liverpool player Danny Ings had a 'goal' disallowed.
The London side took the lead in the 21st minute after a comedy of errors in Liverpool's six-yard box - although Slot won't see the funny side of it.
Max Kilman headed Aaron Cresswell's corner into the six-yard box and after an incredible scramble Wataru Endo's attempted clearance cannoned off Quansah's shin and bounced into the net with Kelleher stranded.
It continued Quansah's unfortunate start to the season - he was taken off at half-time at Ipswich on the opening day and had not played since. He also picked up a caution.
But Liverpool responded rapidly after a fine move started and finished by Jota.
The Portugal striker played a clever one-two with Darwin Nunez, then sent Gakpo down the left. Gakpo's cross was volleyed into the ground and goal-wards by Chiesa and there was Jota who jumped above Kilman and Lucas Fabianski to nod the ball in.
Jota added his second after 49 minutes racing onto a pass by Curtis Jones to apply his usual cool finish.
Hammers twice appealed for penalties for hand ball - against Joe Gomez and then Kostas Tsimikas - but both were turned down by the referee Andrew Madley with Liverpool thankful there was no VAR in operation.
The Hammers pushed hard for an equaliser and Kelleher made saves from Michail Antonio, Max Kilman and Carlos Soler before Salah eased Liverpool's anxiety by firing home after Lucas Fabianski had saved a shot from sub Alexis Mac Allister.
Gakpo added a fine fourth goal, cutting in from the left and firing home but his fifth took a big deflection off a defender to wrong-foot Fabianski. And in the end it could have been even more.
Kelleher 8; Bradley 7, Quansah 6, Gomez 7, Tsimikas 6 (Robertson 81, 5); Jones 8, Endo 7 (Morton 81, 5), Gakpo 7; Jota 9 (Mac Allister 58, 7), Chiesa 6 (Salah 58, 7), Nunez 6.
Fabianski 6; Coufal 6, Todibo 6, Kilman 6, Cresswell ; Soucek 6 (Paqueta 59, 7), Alvarez 6, Soler 6 (Irving 78, 5), Bowen 7 (Kudus 79, 5), Ings 5 (Antonio 59, 6), Summerville 6.
Andrew Madley.
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