EFL Cup: Liverpool thrash West Ham 5-1 to book semi-final spot

Curtis Jones scored twice as Liverpool beat West Ham United 5-1 on Wednesday to secure a record 19th appearance in the League Cup semi-finals.

Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo, and talisman Mohamed Salah also scored for Juergen Klopp's team in what turned into a rout in the final 20 minutes.

Szoboszlai scored in the 28th minute with a thunderous 20-yard strike that sailed into the far corner. Jones doubled Liverpool's lead with his first goal minutes into the second half, sprinting onto Darwin Nunez's pass and one-timing his shot through keeper Alphonse Areola's legs.

Gakpo scored from the top of the 18-yard box before Jarrod Bowen pulled one back in the 77th minute for the Hammers. Salah sealed the game in the 82nd minute, and Jones added his brace two minutes later, slicing through West Ham's defense with such ease that had West Ham manager David Moyes furious.

West Ham were already in for a difficult night against the nine-time League Cup champions, hampered by illness ahead of the game and having only won once in 60 years at Anfield.

Chelsea, Fulham, and Championship side Middlesbrough are also in the final four. Chelsea and Fulham both won penalty shootouts against Newcastle United and Everton, respectively, on Tuesday night.

SportsLigue