Liverpool fires five past 10-man West Ham
Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota both scored doubles while Mo Salah netted a goal off the bench as Liverpool came from behind to dispatch West Ham United 5-1 and reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
The Hammers had gone ahead against the run of play at Anfield courtesy of an own goal by Jarell Quansah, but the Reds levelled four minutes later when Jota headed home a miscued volley from Federico Chiesa.
Scores remained level at half-time, but four minutes after the restart, Jota put the defending champion ahead for the first time with a smooth finish inside the both after excellent work from Curtis Jones and Gakpo.
Salah came on for Chiesa and duly inserted himself into the action, slotting home after Alexis Mac Allister's initial effort had been blocked on 74 minutes.
Two minutes later, the Egypt star was bombing down the right as Liverpool launched a counter-attack, only to be tripped by Edson Alvarez, who received a second yellow card and a subsequent red for the challenge, leaving West Ham a man short.
While the Hammers created half chances at the other end, Carlos Soler spurning two good opportunities and Max Kilman another from six yards, it simply wasn't to be their night.
Mac Allister was denied a second time thanks to a brilliant diving save from Lukasz Fabianski, whose fingers deflected the ball on to the post, and he was on hand again to save from Gakpo not long after.
But Liverpool's relentless attacks eventually cracked the visitors, Gakpo scoring a late double to put the Hammers away by the same scoreline as they lost to Liverpool in last season's quarter-final.
Liverpool will face a trip to Brighton and Hove Albion in the next round for another all Premier League clash, with the ties to be played on 30 and 31 October (AEST).
