Game is over and the final score is Liverpool 5-1 West Ham. Here is the match report.
2024/2025 League Cup
5-1
Match Report
Arne Slot had said he wanted his Liverpool team to be inspired by history ahead of the defence of their Carabao Cup trophy.
This is a competition the Reds have won a record 10 times and Slot said while there may be some 'muscle memory' from their previous achievements, this was merely the start of a new journey.
It is one that is now in full swing after braces from Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo, plus a strike from Mohammed Salah, sealed victory over West Ham, who had taken the lead in the first half through a Jarell Quansah own goal.
Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui has had a difficult start to the season with just one victory in the league, and what for a while was a spirited performance turned into something embarrassing here. A red card for Edson Alvarez, after the midfielder committed a silly foul on Salah while already on a booking, added insult to injury.
It did not, however, prevent a furious reaction when West Ham had two second-half penalty appeals turned down, the first against Joe Gomez and the second against Kostas Tsimikas.
Liverpool triumphed in last season's competition with a host of youngsters in their squad due to injuries to first-team stars and Slot had acknowledged the special way in which Jurgen Klopp won his final trophy in charge of the Reds.
This, though, was largely an experienced Liverpool team, with Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley the youngest players in the starting XI.
Slot had admitted his side's hectic schedule would force him to rotate his squad with this the second of five games in 15 days.
The Dutchman made nine changes from the team that beat Bournemouth, which included a debut for summer signing Federico Chiesa, while the likes of Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz were all rested from the start. West Ham started well and could have taken the lead when Jean-Clair Todibo sent a free header wide from a corner.
Danny Ings thought he had opened the scoring in the 18th minute after a driving run from Jarrod Bowen, but the striker was a good yard offside when he sent a finish past Caoimhin Kelleher and the assistant referee rightly raised his flag.
But West Ham had the ball in Liverpool's net again minutes later, courtesy of a defensive mix-up, and this time it counted. Max Kilman rose highest to meet a corner and the ball dropped to Alvarez in front of goal. The midfielder was unable to get a shot off but was helped out by Wataru Endo, who could only send a scruffy clearance against team-mate Quansah, with the ball bouncing into his own net.
Much to Lopetegui's frustration, West Ham's lead lasted just four minutes as Jota brought the hosts level. Gakpo found space on the left and picked out Chiesa. His volley bounced into the ground but Jota out-jumped Kilman and Lukasz Fabianski to nod the ball into the net.
West Ham argued Gakpo had been offside in the build-up and replays showed it was a tight call, but with VAR not in use the goal stood. The momentum was with Liverpool after their equaliser but they could not find a second goal before half time, though Gakpo came close when he sent an effort just wide of the far post.
They did not have to wait much longer for that second goal to come, though, as Jota doubled his tally in the 49th minute.
West Ham had seen a penalty appeal turned down moments before after Carlos Soler's flicked pass hit the hand of Gomez. With the defender's arms by his side, referee Andy Madley waved the visitors' protests away and Liverpool quickly turned defence into attack.
Curtis Jones started the move as he brought the ball out of his own half and played a one-two with Gakpo before feeding Jota, who slotted into the bottom-right corner.
With Chiesa not fit enough to last 90 minutes, on came Salah in his place on the hour mark.
West Ham pushed forward for an equaliser and Kelleher was required to make an important stop from a scramble in the box before the vistors had another penalty appeal waved away. Vladimir Coufal sent in a cross that hit Tsimikas, but the ball appeared to strike the defender's stomach rather than his outstretched hand.
Salah wrapped up victory when he fired in from close range after Fabianski had saved from Bradley, before Alvarez was given his marching orders and Gakpo got it on the act — twice.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
13' Jean-Clair Todibo's header from the centre of the box misses to the left!
14' Bowen's left footed shot from outside the box saved in the bottom right corner!
18' Match Event for Liverpool vs West Ham
21' OWN GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 West Ham (Wataru Endo)
25' GOAL! Diogo Jota equalizes it & Chiesa with the assist! Liverpool 1-1 West Ham
30' Cody Gakpo's left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked!
39' Highlight from Liverpool vs West Ham
47' Highlight from Liverpool vs West Ham
49' GOAL! Jota scores brace! His shot to bottom right corner! Liverpool 2-1 West Ham
59' Highlight from Liverpool vs West Ham
62' Highlight from Liverpool vs West Ham
65' Match Event for Liverpool vs West Ham
66' Match Event for Liverpool vs West Ham
69' Highlight from Liverpool vs West Ham
74' GOAL! What a great finish from Mohamed Salah! Liverpool 3-1 West Ham
76' Red Card! Edson Álvarez sent off
80' Highlight from Liverpool vs West Ham
81' Match Event for Liverpool vs West Ham
85' Match Event for Liverpool vs West Ham
90' GOAL! Liverpool 4-1 West Ham (Cody Gakpo)
93' GOAL! Liverpool 5-1 West Ham (Cody Gakpo)
Line-ups
Liverpool XI: W. Endo, Joe Gomez, Tsimikas, Jota, Kelleher, Cody Gakpo, Chiesa, Darwin Núñez, Curtis Jones, Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley
Subs: Salah, Van Dijk, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Luis Díaz, Vitezslav Jaros, Tyler Morton
West Ham XI: Fabianski, Cresswell, Ings, Vladimír Coufal, Soucek, Bowen, Soler, Alvarez, Kilman, Todibo, Crysencio Summerville
Subs: Antonio, Wes Foderingham, Emerson, G. Rodriguez, Mavropanos, Paqueta, Wan-Bissaka, Andy Irving, Mohammed Kudus