After 28 minutes, Dominik Szoboszlai scored a fantastic goal from 25 yards out into the bottom corner, ensuring Liverpool’s spot in the final four.
Eleven minutes after the break, Curtis Jones added a second goal. He did this by tricking Alphonse Areola into believing he was going to cut a cross back from the edge of the six-yard box, but he instead fired a shot that went through the legs of the Hammers keeper.
Nineteen minutes from time, Mohamed Salah scored the fourth goal of the game after he raced past the visiting team’s defense, and Jones completed a great run with his second goal. Cody Gakpo had been given too much room to score his eighth goal of the season.
Areola had deflected a Darwin Nunez shot onto the post, and Salah put the rebound wide of an empty net. There could have been more, as the excellent Harvey Elliott, Gakpo, and substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold all had opportunities to score.
Liverpool’s five-goal home victory over the Hammers was a first since 1998, and it puts them on track for a record-tying tenth championship in the competition, which they last won in 2022.
In the semifinals, they will play Fulham; the first leg will take place the week of January 8 and the second leg will follow two weeks later.
It was a disappointing night for David Moyes, the manager of the Hammers. After 21 trips to this stadium, the former Everton manager is still yet to win, so Jarrod Bowen’s goal in the 77th minute—which came from West Ham’s first attempt on goal—was meager comfort.
Elliott brilliant in the Reds’ rout
Elliott, who saved the game against Crystal Palace on December 9, has started all but one of his Premier League games from the bench this year. However, the 20-year-old has started every game in the cups and has shown even more of his talent by performing well in both wide and central areas.
Elliott came in from the right wing and missed a shot from the edge of the area, giving West Ham a glimpse of what was to come.
The England Under-21 international was equally likely to appear on the left, and he also filled in as the midfield anchor at various times during the second half.
Manager Jurgen Klopp applauded Elliott after the Dutchman’s deep cross to Gakpo bounced a header just millimeters wide of the Hammers goal.
Elliott seems to have a cheeky side to him as well because, following Areola’s impressive save to keep out a close-range attempt from an acute angle, the former Fulham player took a quick break by perching on the nearby LED board.
Elliott made a significant impact without adding a goal to the score on a night when Liverpool equaled their biggest victory of the year.
[…] Liverpool’s five-goal home victory over the Hammers was a first since 1998, and it puts them on track for a record-tying tenth championship in the competition, which they last won in 2022. […]