Curtis Jones stepped out of the shadows as Carabao Cup specialists Liverpool moved a step closer to a record 10th triumph in the competition.
2023/2024 League Cup
5-1
Match Report
Jones scored twice as some of Jurgen Klopp's bit-part players took centre-stage on a surprisingly one-sided night at Anfield in which passive West Ham were over-run.
Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Jones and Cody Gakpo established the 2022 winners place in the semi-finals before Jarrod Bowen's consolation after 77 minutes with the visitor's first shot on target.
Even then, Liverpool responded with substitute Mo Salah adding a fourth and Jones then running through the heart of the Hammers defence to complete a brilliant brace.
History favoured Liverpool despite Jurgen Klopp's six changes included putting Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the bench.
No club has lifted the League Cup trophy more times than Liverpool's nine and Hammers manager David Moyes had never won at Anfield in 20 previous visits with four different clubs.
Indeed, nobody had beaten Jurgen Klopp's side on their own turf since Real Madrid did it in the Champions League in February.
The wind had dropped on Merseyside just in time for kick off. West Ham, whose victory in the Europa League last season has given them a new taste for silverware, were happy to sit in their shape early on to see what Liverpool could throw at them.
The first answer was Harvey Elliott who advanced past a couple of challenges before a 20-yard strike had Alphonse Areola worried until it curled beyond the far post at the last moment.
Elliott was again close with an arrowed shot after Curtis Jones created space by dribbling past Edson Alvarez before setting up his team-mate.
Moyes is currently playing in-form Jarrod Bowen at centre-forward. His sharpness almost saw him cut out a dangerous pass-out by Caoimhin Kelleher, the deputy for Alisson in this competition who was in goal when they last won the Carabao Cup against Chelsea in 2022.
Darwin Nunez, 10 games without a goal for his club, was put on the left with Cody Gakpo down the middle. The Uruguayan twisted a header wide from Joe Gomez's cross after the defender had done well to retrieve a clearance by Virgil van Dijk before it crossed the touchline.
The Kop love their No9 anti-hero but there were a few groans when he was caught offside chasing a punt by Kostas Tsimikas. The assistant had to flag with no VAR used to check in case a goal is scored.
Elliott completed a hat-trick of shots before 20 minutes was played. The third was on target but the save by Areola was comfortable. The French 'keeper was also in the right place to catch an attempted curler by Jones as Liverpool adopted what appeared a shoot-on-sight policy.
After 28 minutes, the home side had their ninth pop at Areola's goal – and this one counted.
Some sloppy play by West Ham looking to find Bowen on the break allowed Jarell Quansah to step up and spray a pass to Szoboszlai.
Moyes prides himself on putting out teams who close down the opposition so there would have been disgust at the lack of urgency as the Hungarian stepped up into shooting range.
Even then, Johnson didn't rush forward to block and the midfielder had time to pick his spot from 25 yards and bury his finish in Areola's bottom right-hand corner.
It was Szoboszlai's fourth goal of an impressive debut season for Liverpool. Given the dynamite in his boots, Klopp will be wanting more.
As for West Ham, the bobble-hatted Moyes was probably ready to read the riot act at half-time after the surprisingly passive Londoners failed to have a shot of any type in the opening 45 minutes.
The only silver lining was they only trailed by one. It should have been two but Gakpo misdirected a header in first half injury-time after climbing well.
Nunez's personal mission for an overdue goal saw him turn sharply and test the gloves of Areola at the start of the second half.
How Bowen – described by Klopp as one of his favourite players – must have wished for similar service at the other end.
Moyes' gamble to hold back Lucas Paqueta and James Ward-Prowse from the bench wasn't appreciated by the minority of travelling fans who booed their team off at the interval.
Alvarez became the first name into the book when he slid in studs-up and caught Elliott.
And after 54 minutes, West Ham mounted their first dangerous counter, Tsimikas sliding across to hook away Bowen's cross aimed towards Pablo Fornals.
It was a reminder to Liverpool that 1-0 still carried a jeopardy so they removed the risk by quickly adding a second two minutes later.
Nunez hasn't been scoring but he does make key contributions and his pass to spot Jones on the overlap was terrific.
Jones looked up from the left edge of the penalty area as if to square and nonchalantly rolled it between Areola's legs at the near post.
Only then did Moyes send on his danger-man Paqueta when half-time would have been the bolder move. Klopp responded by making three changes – with Salah and Alexander-Arnold among the introductions!
Liverpool still looked likeliest to score next with Areola's legs blocking from Elliott. And the third goal, which their dominance deserved, came with a fierce swipe of Cody Gakpo's left boot after 71 minutes. Only then was James Ward-Prowse sent on by Moyes.
Bowen was rewarded for his perseverance with a consolation strike from the edge of the box with what was the visitor's first shot on target.
A 3-1 scoreline didn't do Liverpool justice so they used the final few minutes to put that right.
Salah, who had already missed one sitter, finished clinically inside the post after 82 minutes and Jones saved the best til last, powering through a deflated back line to fire into the corner before being mobbed by his team-mates.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
19' Benrahma goes down in the box but ref says no penalty!
28' GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 West Ham (Dominik Szoboszlai)
44' CHANCE! Gakpo’s header over the bar
50' CLOSE! Nunez’s shot saved by Goalkeeper!
56' GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 West Ham (Curtis Jones)
61' Tsimikas makes timely block
71' GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 West Ham (Cody Gakpo)
77' GOAL! Liverpool 3-1 West Ham (Bowen)
81' Salah misses a golden chance!
82' GOAL! Liverpool 4-1 West Ham (Salah)
84' GOAL! Liverpool 5-1 West Ham (Curtis Jones)
Line-ups
Liverpool XI: W. Endo, Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Tsimikas, Kelleher, Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai, Darwin Núñez, Curtis Jones, Elliott, Jarell Quansah
Subs: Adrian, Salah, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Luis Díaz, Conor Bradley, Kaide Gordon, Bobby Clark, James McConnell
West Ham XI: Ogbonna, Areola, Vladimir Coufal, Saïd Benrahma, Soucek, Bowen, Fornals, Mavropanos, Ben Johnson, Alvarez, Mohammed Kudus
Subs: Fabianski, Cresswell, Ings, Zouma, Emerson, Ward-Prowse, Kehrer, Paqueta, Divin Mubama