Liverpool might have given West Ham a head start, but they delivered a resounding 5-1 victory in the League Cup on a night that had some peculiar moments on the pitch and the sideline.
Arne Slot safely navigated his side into the fourth round of the League Cup, with goals from Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo overturning an early lead from the visitors.
It was a night that saw the Reds’ squad depth on show, with every forward who took to the pitch notching a goal or assist!
Throughout the match, though, there were moments that did not slip the attention of those watching on, including an injury and an unusual attempt to block the ball.
Tsimikas commits to a diving header…
? pic.twitter.com/PplxVo9zMw https://t.co/I9WcI5vBrX
— Kloppholic (@Kloppholic) September 25, 2024
Kostas Tsimikas does not get close to getting a touch on the ball but you can give him an A+ for effort, he really did commit to that dividing header.
He had his eyes closed bracing for impact and everything!
Unorthodox is just one word for it, and he and Caoimhin Kelleher had a good laugh about it on Instagram:
Lopetegui injured himself during touchline fury
West Ham limp out from the Carabao Cup. #LFC pic.twitter.com/eVedRGCc0y
— Asim (@asim_lfc) September 25, 2024
The Hammers boss was quite the animated figure on the touchline, arguing his side’s case for seemingly a gazillion penalties – and he got a yellow card and an injury for his troubles.
After exploding off the bench to remonstrate, he injured his calf and later hobbled down the tunnel before leaving Anfield on crutches.
At least Jurgen Klopp was celebrating when he injured himself…
Chiesa with the nutmeg
Chiesas nutmeg ??? pic.twitter.com/esXmoqu2pG
— Safwan ?? (@lfcsafwan) September 25, 2024
We’ve been treated to some great glimpses of what we will get from Federico Chiesa in a Liverpool shirt.
Against Bournemouth he unleashed a shot with his first touch, and against West Ham he notched an acrobatic assist and had a brilliant moment on the byline at the Anfield Road End:
Chiesa nutmeg ??? pic.twitter.com/8gnaDYD07n
— E4 (@LFC_ERYAN) September 25, 2024
It mightn’t have ended with anything, but the cheeky nutmeg goes to show what he will bring more often once he is fully up to speed. We’re excited about the possibilities!
Talk about a strong Liverpool bench
Liverpool Bench Is Too Powerful. pic.twitter.com/Ih5RSmnS70
— . (@LiverpoolAgreed) September 26, 2024
Slot made nine changes to his starting lineup and it was a flex of Liverpool’s squad depth, the bench was just ridiculous!
Ryan Gravenberch and Ibrahima Konate were not even in the matchday squad.
It is a good place to be in and, hopefully, Alisson and Harvey Elliott will be back soon to bolster Slot’s options further.
Liverpool’s bench: Jaros, Van Dijk, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Mac Allister, Morton, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Salah
Jota’s celebration explained
Jota’s opening goal of the game came via a brilliant header and he wheeled off in celebration with the ball and tucked it under his shirt, before sucking his thumb.
It is a well-known celebration to pay tribute to the upcoming birth of a child, which Jota is expecting with his fiance Rute Cardoso. They have two sons and are expecting their third baby in November.
Congratulations to the Jota family!
