Liverpool destroyed West Ham 5-1 on Wednesday to arrange a League Cup semi-final in opposition to Fulham, easing the disappointment in their weekend Premier League stalemate in opposition to Manchester United. Curtis Jones scored two times and Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah had been additionally at the scoresheet for Jurgen Klopp’s dominant workforce, who had been trophyless closing season. Disagree workforce have received extra League Cups than Liverpool, who lifted the trophy for the 9th week within the 2021/22 season.
The Reds had 34 photographs in opposition to United in Sunday’s Premier League fit with out discovering the web, failing to win at house for the primary week this season to their intense frustration.
Supervisor Jurgen Klopp stated he used to be thrilled together with his workforce’s “joyful football” as they as soon as once more clicked in entrance of objective in opposition to West Ham.
“We were brave in our positioning, our second ball game was exceptional,” he stated.
“It was a really, really good performance from start to finish.
“It’s in reality difficult for all folks, there’s a quantity of video games and the men performed a quantity of soccer already.”
The much-changed house aspect, with Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold at the bench and Alisson Becker rested completely, launched wave after wave of attacks, with West Ham struggling to lay a glove on their opponents.
Harvey Elliott blasted over the bar in the 14th minute and Szoboszlai fired wide but the Hungary midfielder gave Liverpool the lead they deserved shortly before the half-hour mark.
It came after Said Benrahma lost the ball carelessly in midfield, squandering a chance for a rare West Ham break.
Dominant Liverpool
Jarell Quansah fed Szoboszlai on the right of the Liverpool attack and he let fly with powerful shot from outside the area that flew into the far corner, giving goalkeeper Alphonse Areola no chance.
The game continued in the same pattern, with West Ham forced to feed off scraps — a familiar feeling for a team who have won just once at Anfield since 1963.
The home side could have doubled their lead in the final moments of the opening period but Gakpo headed narrowly wide following a fine cross from Elliott.
Liverpool had 11 shots in the first 45 minutes to West Ham’s zero.
The London side also had a clutch of star names on the substitutes’ bench, with the impressive Lucas Paqueta and James Ward-Prowse omitted from the starting line-up.
The second half unfolded in a similar way to the first, with Liverpool probing and David Moyes’ men looking toothless.
Darwin Nunez, who started the game without a goal in his past 10 games for Liverpool, got a shot away after wriggling clear in the box but Areola was equal to the task.
However, Jones gave Liverpool a buffer in the 56th minute, firing the ball through Areola’s legs at the near post.
Moyes threw on Paqueta but Klopp countered by bringing on Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate.
Liverpool made it 3-0 when Gakpo fired low inside Areola’s right-hand post from the edge of the area following Konate’s charge forward.
Jarrod Bowen pulled one back, cutting inside Quansah and producing a fine curling finish around Caoimhin Kelleher but worse was to come for the hapless visitors.
Salah netted a breakaway goal from Alexander-Arnold’s pass and Jones capped a fine night with his second after dancing through the Hammers defence.
Liverpool, who host Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday with a chance to leapfrog the London side, will face Fulham in the first leg of the two-legged League Cup semi-final in the week beginning January 8.
Middlesbrough will take on Chelsea in the other last-four tie.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Subjects discussed on this article
