Liverpool vs West Ham live: Latest updates for Carabao Cup clash

Liverpool picked the ideal moment to reconnect with their attacking swagger.

The Premier League leaders are on the horizon, there were whispers about strikers firing too many blanks after their toils against Manchester United, and some of the new midfielders were discovering English football is not as easy as they initially made it look.

A ferocious unleashing of artillery answered lingering questions as Jürgen Klopp’s side took their place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

This was arguably the most complete Liverpool performance of the season. It was certainly the most sustained exhibition of attacking brilliance, the 5-1 victory flattering West Ham, even if Klopp felt too many spectators were blase about what they were witnessing.

David Moyes will regret that the only demonstration of fury in Liverpool’s direction came from Klopp to a section of his own fanbase, the flashpoint coming in the first-half when a series of rapid precision passes almost led to a goal and the manager turned to the Main Stand demanding more appreciation.

There is probably an element of strategy in that criticism given the need for the decibel level to raise for Mikel Arteta, well known for preparing his Arsenal players for a Kop chorus. Klopp has probably guaranteed an off-field response on Saturday evening.

His side was already ahead by the time of his ‘consultation’ with the supporters courtesy of Dominik Szoboszlai’s thunderbolt. More classic goals were to come, West Ham a submissive opponent as homegrown hero Curtis Jones waltzed through them at will to score twice, with Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo joining the party later.

Jones is one of their more underappreciated young talents in English football, which tends to be a theme for homegrown players who did not cost £60 million, usually signed with accompanying essays about their emergence.

“He added to his game the acceleration of the ball which is really important,” said Klopp of the player rightly named man of the match.

“His second goal is a crazy goal”

Nevertheless, it was Szoboszlai’s 59-minute midfield masterclass, erasing the memories of a difficult few weeks, that gave Liverpool the foundation they needed. For the third successive game, the Hungarian was subbed early. The difference this time was it was in celebration rather than frustration, the team’s performance reaffirming the feeling another successful Anfield era is brewing.

Given recent encouraging away wins at tough venues, West Ham were inexplicably awful. For Klopp, there was only reassurance and vindication for selecting such a strong line-up, defying the idea that the Carabao Cup is secondary to the upcoming schedule.

Szoboszlai, especially, needed this filip. “He’s 22,” was Klopp’s assistant, Pep Lijnders’, response when asked about the No 8’s recent dip, the comparisons to Steven Gerrard both a compliment and ludicrously premature. The midfielder cut a sullen figure when subbed early against both Crystal Palace and United.

“Go on then, show us what you can do,” may have been Klopp’s final words before kick off here.

How Szoboszlai responded, ending what had become a long-distance shooting competition for the first 28 minutes with the kind of screamer which explains why he is considered one of the signings of 2023.

The goal aside, he played like he had a point to prove, tigerish in his pressing and demanding possession. Like Harvey Elliott, who had gone close with a trio of attempts from outside of the penalty area, he was also indulging a shoot on sight policy when invited. Alphonse Areola could only watch the rocket dip past.

Having dispatched Arsenal in the previous round, West Ham will have fancied their chances of a trophy in successive seasons. They rapidly understood the scale of the Anfield task as they struggled to escape their own half, pinned back by the relentless running of Klopp’s forwards and midfielders.

Darwin Núñez was deployed in a wider role to accommodate Gakpo, adopting the false nine position in which he excelled at the start of his Anfield career. The impression of a sharper, pacier Liverpool to that which struggled against United was instant.

Gakpo was close to heading the second just before half-time, Elliott again the provider. But the excellence was not limited to the attackers. Liverpool look like they have discovered a gem in centre-half Jarell Quansah, his poise in out of possession ensuring he was not out of place alongside Virgil van Dijk.

Poor Jarrod Bowen, increasingly isolated in attack, needed help. He was the only Hammer to emerge with credit when he struck a consolation from outside the box. Sadly, most of the away fans had already left. It was a chastening night for Moyes. He has endured many tough Anfield trips, but never seen any of his teams fall like this.

“We weren’t strong enough,” he said. “I thought the second goal was the biggest turning point. We got in at 1-0, had done well to keep it at that but the second goal was a killer. But it’s easy to say. Liverpool did a lot of good things and things that didn’t go for them at the weekend that went for them tonight. Different things went against us.”

Liverpool’s vast superiority was rewarded as the late goals inflicted further punishment.

Whatever the growing expectations in the league, the Carabao Cup has a habit of moving stealthily up the priority lists as teams advance.

Klopp said the best way to speed up the growth of a new-look team is to win a trophy. They’re now a couple of games away and on this form will take some stopping.

Arteta and the Arsenal players probably switched off after an hour, what they will face on the pitch and from the stands now immeasurably tougher than it seemed 72 hours earlier.

Liverpool brush poor West Ham aside – as it happened