Liverpool: After finishing last season empty-handed, Liverpool kept its four-pronged trophy pursuit alive by advancing to the League Cup semifinals with a 5-1 win over West Ham. Curtis Jones scored twice, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah also getting goals in the largely one-sided game at Anfield.
Jarrod Bowen struck a consolation goal for West Ham.
Liverpool will play Fulham in the two-legged semifinals, and second-division Middlesbrough will face Chelsea.
“The performance, the scoresheet, the result and the individual performances put together to make a team on the pitch,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said on Wednesday.
“We were brave in our positioning, our second ball game was exceptional. It was a really, really good performance from start to finish.” Liverpool can move atop the Premier League when it hosts first-place Arsenal on Saturday, is in the Europa League round of 16, and starts its FA Cup campaign next month.
The Merseyside club’s form this term is in stark contrast to last season.