Liverpool rout West Ham to sail into Carabao Cup semifinals

Curtis Jones scored twice and Liverpool booked a record 19th appearance in the League Cup semifinals with a 5-1 thrashing of West Ham United on Wednesday, claiming the last of four berths.

Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and talisman Mohamed Salah, who did not enter the game until it was an hour old, also scored for Juergen Klopp's team in what unravelled into a rout in the final 20 minutes.

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"The performance, the scoresheet, the result and the individual performances put together to make a team on the pitch," a delighted Klopp told Sky Sports. "The boys enjoyed it a lot, they worked hard but enjoyed it too with joyful football in moments. Nice to see."

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

Gakpo scored from the top of the 18-yard box before Jarrod Bowen pulled one back for the Hammers in the 77th minute. Salah put the game away in the 82nd minute and Jones completed his brace two minutes later, slashing through West Ham's defence with such ease it had manager David Moyes seething with anger.

"I want to score goals and help the team," Jones said. "It is okay playing well but you need to score goals, I've scored two so a big smile on my face."

West Ham were in for a tough night against the nine-time League Cup champions even before the opening whistle, hampered by illness ahead of the game and having only won once in the cauldron of Anfield in 60 years.

Liverpool will now face Fulham in the semifinals, which begin the week of Jan. 8, while Chelsea take on Middlesbrough to round out the last four. The final is Feb. 25 at Wembley Stadium, and fans at rain-lashed Anfield -- keen to see their team in the final -- chanted "Wembley" in the final minutes on Wednesday.

Liverpool were coming off a frustrating 0-0 Premier League draw against Manchester United on Sunday. Wednesday's score could have been even more lopsided with several near-misses, including a Darwin Nunez shot that rang off the post in the second half. Salah then sent the rebound just wide.