Liverpool thrash West Ham, Arsenal crush Bolton in third-round League Cup wins

LIVERPOOL :Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo scored two goals apiece as holders Liverpool thrashed West Ham United 5-1 at Anfield on Wednesday to cruise into the fourth round of the League Cup in another solid performance from Arne Slot's side.

Arsenal crushed third-tier Bolton Wanderers 5-1 in the evening's other League Cup tie.

West Ham - who were reduced to 10 men when Edson Alvarez was shown a second yellow card in the 76th minute - opened the scoring at Anfield when Wataru Endo's attempt to clear a corner ricocheted off Jarell Quansah and past keeper Caoimhin Kelleher for an own goal.

The Hammers' celebrations were short-lived as Jota equalised four minutes later, leaping to head home Federico Chiesa's acrobatic volley. Jota netted his second in the 49th minute when Curtis Jones slotted a reverse pass to the Portuguese player who scored into the bottom corner.

"It's important when you're down to get that (equaliser) as quick as possible and to score at Anfield, it's always special so happy to help the team," Jota told Sky Sports.

It was all Liverpool from that point on.

Talisman Mohamed Salah made it 3-1 in the 74th when he knocked in the rebound off Alexis Mac Allister's shot, and then Gakpo added to Liverpool's lead with goals in the 90th and 93rd minutes.

The Reds captured a record 10th League Cup title last season, manager Juergen Klopp's final trophy with the team before he stepped down at the end of the campaign.

New manager Slot has barely missed a beat. The Reds sit a point behind Manchester City in second in the Premier League after five games. They also opened their Champions League campaign with a victory over AC Milan last week.

"We have just one defeat," Jota said. "We are still progressing, still developing our ideas