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Liverpool smashed West Ham 5-1 at Anfield to march into the Carabao Cup semi-finals and put another Wembley appearance within view.
Dominik Szoboszlai set the Reds on their way with a terrific strike before Curtis Jones threaded home the second from a tight angle after the break.
Cody Gakpo put Liverpool three in front before Jarrod Bowen pulled one back for the Hammers, but later goals by Mohamed Salah and another by Jones settled the matter.
Jurgen Klopp’s side will face Fulham in the two-legged semi-final in the new year.
Mail Sport’s LEWIS STEELE was at Anfield and supplied player ratings for both teams.
LIVERPOOL
(4-3-3)
Caoimhin Kelleher – 6.5
Almost given an ‘N/A’ as a rating as he had so little to do, with West Ham not having a shot until the 71st minute, which went wide.
Kelleher could do little about Bowen’s goal and he was commanding when coming for a cross in the second half.
Joe Gomez – 6.5
This was his 195th appearance for Liverpool and still he is looking for his first goal for the club – but it feels like he is getting closer!
Gomez had a couple of chances but fluffed his lines here. The 26-year-old has vastly improved as an attacking full-back as the season has gone on.
Jarell Quansah – 8
Hard to believe he was playing in League One just last season. The best compliment you can pay to Quansah is that he looks like he has been in this Liverpool team for years. Calm on the ball, positionally and tactically aware.
Made a great tackle on Bowen early on then his eager interception seconds later led to Liverpool’s first goal. Broke the lines with good passes.
Virgil Van Dijk – 6.5
Always sets the tempo with his passing out from the back and guided young Jarell Quansah through the game.
Was substituted on 60 minutes and, in truth, not a lot to report about Van Dijk in a defensive sense as West Ham offered, well, nothing.
Kostas Tsimikas – 7
Made a pivotal interception with a sliding challenge when West Ham made a rare attack at 1-0 and Bowen looked for Fornals at the back post on 54 minutes.
The Greek full-back offered width and energy in an attacking sense, as ever.
Good width. Excellent interception when Bowen looked for Fornals at back post.
Wataru Endo – 6.5
A couple of misplaced passes early on but the Japan captain grew into the game and broke up play well in a defensive sense.
Will be missed as a squad option when he goes to the Asia Cup but his early substitution shows he might have an important part to play against Arsenal.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 8
A couple of loose touches early on but this was Szoboszlai’s best performance in a month.
His goal was the best of the five for Liverpool and he could have had a couple more with a bit of luck. Is at his best when he is given licence to drift into wide areas.
Curtis Jones – 9
Just edges the man of the match from Elliott given he scored a brace.
Jones has shown his maturity in a defensive sense this season but this was a different performance, with the Scouser bursting through midfield in an aggressive way.
First goal was a tidy finish, second even better.
Harvey Elliott – 8.5
Offered a window into what Liverpool’s right-hand flank might look like when Salah goes to the African Cup of Nations.
A constant source of energy, whether taking players on and going to the byline or cutting in.
Unlucky not to score for himself but never stopped running and creating.
Cody Gakpo – 8
The fact that he was substituted might hint that the Dutchman could pip Nunez to a spot in the starting XI against Arsenal.
Led the line well, whether in a traditional sense or dropping deep. His goal was a lovely finish and Gakpo’s combination play was top quality.
Darwin Nunez – 7 (BOOKED)
Now 11 games and counting without a goal for Nunez but this was a much better performance, with the Uruguayan operating on the left wing.
So unlucky not to score as Areola made a fine save towards the end but Nunez was a constant nuisance.
Substitutes
Ibrahima Konate (for Van Dijk, 60) – 6
Trent Alexander-Arnold (for Endo, 60) – 6
Mohamed Salah (for Szoboszlai, 60) – 6
Conor Bradley (for Tsimikas, 68) – 6
Luis Diaz (for Gakpo 78)
Unused substitutes: Adrian, Bobby Clark, Kaide Gordon, James McConnell.
Manager
Jurgen Klopp – 7
Can’t complain about anything. Found a perfect balance between the ‘rest and rhythm’ he so craves, with none of his star men playing the full 90 minutes.
Will be delighted with how his decision to play Gakpo centrally and Nunez out wide turned out.
WEST HAM (4-2-3-1)
Alphonse Areola – 6
Good handling at times and kept the scores down. Distribution was a bit wayward early on, though, and will be annoyed to have been beaten from a tight angle for Jones’ goal. Good save to deny Nunez near the end.
Vladimir Coufal – 6
The Czech full-back never stopped fighting and running in a good battle with Nunez on that flank, keeping the Uruguayan relatively quiet for most of the game.
Konstantinos Mavropanos – 4
A night to forget for West Ham’s Greek centre half, who continually lost his marker, be it Gakpo or Nunez. For Gakpo’s goal, Liverpool’s third, Mavropanos backed off and invited the shot from distance.
Angelo Ogbonna – 4
Won some of his aerial battles but struggled to keep up with the pace of the game as Gakpo’s runs foxed him.
Ben Johnson – 5
Felt sorry for Johnson at times with him up against the electric Elliott and then Salah on that side. Did not do too much wrong but also did not do much right.
Tomas Soucek – 4
A few loose passes, touches and looked tired for much of the night as he chased shadows around Liverpool’s midfield. Best days seem to be behind the Czech midfielder.
Edson Alvarez – 6 (BOOKED)
Tidy in tight areas but struggled to get a foothold on possession and grew frustrated in the second half as West Ham showed little to no creativity. Bad tackle on Elliott in the second half was rash and mistimed.
Mohammed Kudus – 5
Could not replicate the fine form he took into the match after a first-half brace against Wolves at the weekend.
Pablo Fornals – 4
Made a nuisance of himself and covered a lot of ground but Fornals, like many of his team-mates, could not mark his stamp on this game.
Said Benrahma – 4
Lost possession too easy on a number of occasions. Like all of West Ham’s forwards, Benrahma barely impacted this game. Managed just 22 touches, which is fewer than Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold, who didn’t come on until the 60th minute.
Jarrod Bowen – 7
The only West Ham outfield player who looked interested in attacking, despite a couple of loose touches. His goal was a lovely finish and he could have created another as he threatened to run in behind.
Substitutes
Lucas Paqueta (for Benrahma 57) – 6
James Ward-Prowse (for Kudus, 73) – 6
Thilo Kehrer (for Coufal, 73) – 6
Danny Ings (for Alvarez 81)
Unused substitutes: Lukasz Fabianski, Aaron Cresswell, Kurt Zouma, Emerson, Divin Mubama.
Manager
David Moyes – 3
Possibly the worst team to come to Anfield this season. At least some of the others, like Europa League teams Toulouse and LASK, have tried to attack. Did not have a shot until the 71st minute and this was an awful evening for West Ham.
Referee
Tim Robinson – 6
No big calls to make really but refereed the game well and handed out just two yellow cards. Let the play flow well.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
