Liverpool 5-1 West Ham United
Carabao Cup third round, Anfield, Wednesday 25 September 2024, 8pm BST
West Ham United's 2024/25 Carabao Cup journey was brought to an end at the third-round stage at Anfield as Liverpool came from behind to win 5-1 under the lights.
The Hammers were rewarded for a strong start when Jarrell Quansah’s own-goal sent the travelling 5,819 fans into raptures, only for Diogo Jota to restore parity four minutes later.
Portuguese forward Jota then notched his and his side's second to complete the turnaround shortly after half-time, before substitute Mohamed Salah added a third on 74 minutes.
Cody Gakpo’s late brace wrapped up a resounding win for Arne Slot’s side and put them into the Carabao Cup last 16, where they will face Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Reds came out on top in last season’s meeting in the quarter-finals of the same competition, and after being dealt another tough task in the third round this term, the result was no different for the Hammers as their poor Anfield record continued.
With West Ham making seven changes and Liverpool nine from the weekend Premier League fixtures, both managers took the opportunity to give vital minutes to some players who haven’t received as many as others.
Wanting to right the wrongs of Saturday’s disappointing derby defeat to Chelsea, a much-changed Irons side took to the Anfield turf with a point to prove.
Despite being immediately on the backfoot, the Hammers went on to register the first two shots of the game to cap an overall impressive start, as Jean-Clair Todibo stooped to meet Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick from the right but headed narrowly wide, before Jarrod Bowen’s fierce, long-range effort was comfortably gathered by Caoimhin Kelleher.
West Ham thought they had taken the lead after 18 minutes when Crysencio Summerville’s attempt deflected into the path of Danny Ings, who prodded home from close range, only to realise he was half-a-yard beyond the last defender.
Julen Lopetegui’s side increased the tempo, and moments later took a deserved lead in somewhat fortuitous circumstances when Cresswell’s corner was not dealt with at the first attempt, and from the resulting scramble Kostas Tsimikas’ clearance struck Quansah and flew past Kelleher.
Our lead lasted little over four minutes, though, as Gakpo got to the byline and crossed for Federico Chiesa. The Italian’s half-volley looked to be heading off target, before Jota intervened and headed home from close range.
Liverpool were soon back in control as West Ham were almost completely camped inside their own half. One such attempt allowed the Reds to come close to scoring again, with Gakpo granted too much space on the edge of the away penalty area, but his shot skewed narrowly past the right-hand corner.
Into the second half, and the Hammers might have restored their lead after 48 minutes, but had apparent handball claims waved away by referee Andrew Madley.
One minute later, the turnaround was completed by Slot’s side. Curtis Jones carried the ball forward after winning it in his own half before playing a fine reverse ball to Jota, who kept his composure to skip inside Todibo and beat Łukasz Fabiański.
Spaniard Lopetegui sent on Michail Antonio and Lucas Paquetá in an attempt to alter the course of the game, but Liverpool continued to threaten, as Fabiański superbly denied Jones after a defence-splitting pass.
At the other end, West Ham went close twice in quick succession, with Carlos Soler’s rasping drive tipped to safety by Kelleher before Maximilian Kilman couldn’t sort his feet out in time to convert from seven yards after a scramble in the box.
And after West Ham were denied another penalty shout minutes later, Liverpool all but sealed victory through substitute Salah, who converted at the second attempt after Conor Bradley’s initial effort was saved by Fabiański.
The Hammers’ evening soon went from bad to worse when Edson Álvarez was shown a second yellow card for a mis-timed sliding tackle on Salah.
West Ham had goalkeeper Fabiański to thank for not falling further behind, as the veteran superbly tipped a 25-yard strike from Alexis Mac Allister onto the post at full-stretch. However, after defender Cresswell produced a stunning goal-line clearance, the Reds did add more strikes to their tally.
Gakpo added Liverpool’s fourth after playing a neat one-two with Darwin Núñez, before the Dutchman netted his second in quick succession when his effort from the edge of the box deflected off Todibo and wrong-footed Fabiański, compiling the Hammers’ misery.
Liverpool: Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah, Gomez ©, Tsimikas (Robertson 82), Endo (Morton 82), Jones, Gakpo, Chiesa (Salah 59), Jota (Mac Allister 59), Núñez
Subs not used: Jaroš (GK), Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk, Szoboszlai, Díaz
Goals: Jota 25, 49, Salah 74, Gakpo 90, 90+3
Booked: Quansah
West Ham United: Fabiański, Coufal, Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell, Álvarez, Soler (Irving 78), Souček (Paquetá 59), Summerville, Bowen © (Kudus 78), Ings (Antonio 60)
Subs not used: Foderingham (GK), Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Emerson, Rodríguez
Goal: Quansah OG 21
Booked: Álvarez, Paquetá
Sent off: Álvarez
Referee: Andrew Madley
