Liverpool ratings: Jones earns 9/10 in big Carabao Cup win

Liverpool booked their place to the Carabao Cup semifinals on Wednesday evening as they registered a 5-1 victory over West Ham United at Anfield.

A fast begin to the sport noticed the Reds seeking to play at a excessive tempo after profitable the ball again, and after two Harvey Elliott efforts went narrowly vast, Dominik Szoboszlai’s shot from vary in the twenty eighth minute was too exact for West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola. Cody Gakpo got here closest to doubling the lead with a header that fell to the fallacious aspect of the publish simply earlier than halftime.

Liverpool saved the strain on the Hammers after the restart and did not take lengthy to attain their second purpose as Curtis Jones completed from shut vary after being performed by means of by Darwin Núñez. Gakpo added a 3rd quarter-hour later.

Jarrod Bowen supplied a glimmer of hope for the Hammers with a well-taken strike shortly thereafter, however the recreation was put out of sight when the Reds added two extra. First Mohamed Salah, who was picked out with an beautiful go by Trent Alexander-Arnold, earlier than Jones scored his second to verify his brace.

– Stream on ESPN+: The Carabao Cup semifinals begin Jan. 8
– Read on ESPN+: Ranking the Champions League favorites

Positives

Five targets after a disappointing 0-0 draw on the weekend was the right response by Liverpool forward of the upcoming festive interval, in which momentum will probably be necessary through the jostle for place in the Premier League title race.

Negatives

There aren’t too many negatives to select from a dominant efficiency, although the Caoimhin Kelleher and the defence will probably be dissatisfied to have surrendered their clear sheet.

Manager score (1-10; 10 = finest)

Jurgen Klopp, 7 — He deployed a robust workforce with hopes of securing qualification to the semifinal and his aspect delivered in promising trend. He additionally used his substitutes nicely when pondering forward to the following Premier League match, maintaining his attacking choices sharp.

Player rankings

GK Caoimhin Kelleher, 6 — There wasn’t a save to make for the Liverpool goalkeeper in the primary half as West Ham didn’t register a single effort on the right track. He was crushed in the second half by a well-hit strike by Bowen.

DF Virgil van Dijk, 6 — Liverpool’s captain commanded the backline nicely however did not look to get out of first gear earlier than going off for Ibrahima Konate on the hour mark.

DF Jarell Quansah, 7 — The 20-year-old centre-back was alert to the hazard and received the ball again on numerous events, together with for the possession that led to Liverpool’s opening purpose, which he assisted. Quansah loved a robust efficiency on the evening other than the second when he was crushed by Bowen for West Ham’s purpose.

DF Kostas Tsimikas, 7 — He was aggressive in the press and made it troublesome for his opponent to show, and that allowed Liverpool to win the ball again in harmful areas. The Greece worldwide additionally supported play when getting ahead on the left-flank, the place he requested questions of the defence with crosses into the field.

DF Joe Gomez, 7 — Gomez stretched the play from right-back the place he usually positioned himself excessive up the pitch, however he may have finished higher at occasions when isolating his marker. Switched to left-back after Tsimikas went off for Conor Bradley. A robust run from the left-side led to a shot on the right track that drew a save from Areola.

MF Wataru Endo, 8 — Endo received the ball again in central areas and sometimes made the fitting selections together with his passing, nearly all the time opting to transition the ball forwards. This was one of many Japan worldwide’s finest performances for the Reds, in which he set the tempo of the sport together with his aggressive tackling method and clever positioning.

MF Curtis Jones, 9 — An all-round glorious efficiency in midfield by Jones was capped with two well-taken targets in the style of a seasoned striker. His show will make it troublesome for Klopp to not begin him on Saturday towards Arsenal. In Liverpool’s earlier match, towards Manchester United in the Premier League, Jones got here off the bench for Luis Diaz.

MF Dominik Szoboszlai, 7 — An glorious strike from vary put the ball in the precise spot the place goalkeeper Alphonse Areola could not get it, placing Liverpool 1-0 up in the primary half. Szoboszlai brought on issues with runs into house that pulled opposition defenders out of place.

FW Darwin Núñez, 7 — He was deployed from the left flank and impressed together with his link-up play in the ultimate third. Forced a save from Areola with a intelligent flip and left-footed effort on the right track, and had one other effort that was denied solely by the goalkeeper’s finger suggestions.

FW Harvey Elliott, 7 — A full of life efficiency from Harvey Elliott noticed him assured in tight areas and capable of beat defenders together with his dribbling. Came shut with two efforts in the primary half that had been marginally vast of the far publish.

FW Cody Gakpo, 7 — The Netherlands worldwide took up clever positions to hyperlink the assault when dropping into deeper areas. After coming very near getting on the scoresheet when connecting to Elliott’s cross, he made no mistake together with his subsequent likelihood as his strike from outdoors of the field made it 3-0.

Substitutes (gamers launched after 70 minutes = no score)

Ibrahima Konate (Van Dijk, 66″), 7 — The centre-back came on and took just over 10 minutes before making an impact, with a forward run into West Ham territory before assisting Gakpo for Liverpool’s third goal of the game.

Mohamed Salah (Szoboszlai, 60″), 7 — He supplied a direct downside for West Ham with clever runs in behind the defence, and that’s how he finally scored after timing his run to perfection earlier than producing an correct end into the far nook.

Conor Bradley (Tsimikas, 68″), 6 — He almost instantly registered an assist after being introduced in the second half, producing a first-time flick over the defence that allowed Salah to have a chance at goal.

Luis Diaz (Gakpo, 78″) N/R — Positive when introduced on and Liverpool quickly gift-wrapped the match with two targets.