Liverpool effortlessly advances to Carabao Cup semi-finals with commanding display against West Ham at Anfield.
After Dominik Szoboszlai unleashed a stunning 25-yard strike into the bottom corner in the 28th minute, Liverpool’s spot in the semi-finals was never uncertain.
Curtis Jones extended the lead 11 minutes into the second half, deceiving Alphonse Areola by feigning a cross before driving a shot through the legs of the Hammers’ keeper from the edge of the six-yard box.
Cody Gakpo capitalized on too much space, scoring his eighth goal of the season 19 minutes from the end. Mohamed Salah then made it four by sprinting past the visitors’ defense and finishing, while Jones completed an excellent run with his second goal.
There were further opportunities as Harvey Elliott, Gakpo, and substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold all came close, and Salah missed the rebound wide of an open net after Areola deflected a Darwin Nunez shot onto a post.
This marked Liverpool’s first time scoring five at home against the Hammers since 1998, positioning them for a potential record-extending 10th triumph in the competition they most recently won in 2022.
They are set to face Fulham in the semi-finals, with the first leg scheduled for the week beginning January 8 and the second leg two weeks later.
Hammers manager David Moyes experienced a night of disappointment. The ex-Everton boss is yet to secure his first victory in this stadium after 21 visits, and Jarrod Bowen’s 77th-minute goal, West Ham’s first shot on target, provided little consolation.
Elliott outstanding in Reds romp
The hero of the match against Crystal Palace on December 9, Elliott has predominantly come off the bench in all but one of his Premier League appearances this season.
However, in cup competitions, the 20-year-old has consistently been in the starting lineup, showcasing his talent in both wide and central positions.
Elliott provided a glimpse of his threat to West Ham when he cut in from the right wing, narrowly missing the target with a shot from the edge of the area.
The England Under-21 international demonstrated versatility by appearing on the left as well, occasionally taking on the role of midfield anchor in the second half.
Manager Jurgen Klopp applauded Elliott for a well-placed cross to Gakpo, resulting in a header that narrowly missed the Hammers’ goal.
Elliott, displaying a bit of playful charm, took a short break by sitting on the nearby LED board after goalkeeper Areola made a decent save to deny his close-range effort from an acute angle.
On a night where Liverpool achieved their most significant win of the season, Elliott made a significant contribution despite not finding the back of the net himself.
Woeful West Ham never a threat
West Ham’s substantial traveling support would have found their return journey to London more satisfying had they been given any semblance of hope regarding the outcome.
With only one victory on this turf in the last 60 years, the Hammers have a meager track record of success at Anfield, and their overall performance here was lackluster.
Fielding a team with six changes from their impressive win against Wolves, they struggled to string together a sequence of passes to pose a meaningful goal threat.
The sole moment it appeared they might take a shot in the first half was when Bowen waited for the ball to drop in the area. Unfortunately, hesitation proved costly as Kostas Tsimikas intervened to neutralize the threat.
Mohammed Kudus came close with their first shot at goal just before Liverpool netted their third of the night. However, by the time Bowen scored his 12th goal in an outstanding personal campaign, the game was already beyond reach.
“Whatever you say about us tonight, their performance was very good and they were fast and quick and all over us, right from the first minute. We never got a chance to breathe,” said Moyes.
“I don’t rotate very often but you just can’t play them every game with what the scheduling is like.
“The only teams who’ve played more games than us over three years are Liverpool and Manchester City, and then we had the quickest turnaround. All of those things play a part.”