Player ratings as Jota and Gakpo see off 10-man Hammers

Liverpool secured passage to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup as they thrashed tenman West Ham United 5-1 at Anfield.

A Jarell Quansah own goal had seen the visitors lead early doors, but the game was turned on its head by Diogo Jota goals either side of half-time.

Mohamed Salah then essentially settled the game, before Edson Alvarez was sent off and Cody Gakpo added gloss to the scoreline with a late double.

How the game unfolded

West Ham punctured a cagey start to proceedings when Danny Ings swept home from close range only for the linesman’s flag to indicate that he had strayed offside.

But the visitors were soon ahead regardless, with Wataru Endo’s clearance cannoning in off the legs of an unfortunate Quansah. However, the Hammers’ threat largely evaporated from there, with Liverpool signalling their threat as Quansah headed over from a corner.

The Reds then levelled things up, Jota nodding in after a Federico Chiesa bicycle kick had fortuitously bounced into his path.

Liverpool began to dominate after that boost, but struggled to muster many clear-cut chances beyond a left-footed Cody Gakpo strike that was deflected wide of the post.

It did not take long for them to show more cutting edge in the second period, though, with Curtis Jones dribbling and then producing a precise through ball for Jota to confidently pass home inside the box. And Jones almost had a goal for himself just past the hour-mark, forcing a fine save from Lukasz Fabianski with a poked effort after running in behind.

But West Ham had little to lose as the game progressed and so began throwing bodies forward in an attempt save the tie. One such moment led to Michail Antonio forcing a smart save from Caoimhin Kelleher before the Irishman did well to stop Max Kilman on the follow-up.

However, the game was all but settled when a tidy Liverpool move saw Salah smash a rebound into the roof of the net at the Kop end. And any doubts that the hosts would see things out were effectively ended when Alvarez was shown a second yellow card for a petulant foul on Salah.

That left Gakpo to wrap things up by cutting in off the left to smash one past the despairing dive of Lukasz Fabianski. And he repeated the trick heading into added time, although this time with the help of a sizeable deflection.

GK: Caoimhin Kelleher – 7/10 – Had no chance with the goal but made some great stops in the second half to ensure Liverpool kept…