Liverpool 5-1 West Ham: Jota, Gakpo net braces as Slot’s side make the perfect start in Carabao Cup

Diogo Jota struck a brace in Liverpool s comfortable 5-1 victory against 10-man West Ham as they got their Carabao Cup defence off to the perfect start.

The Portugal international lost his starting spot to Darwin Nunez for the 3-0 Premier League win over Bournemouth at the weekend, but the two were paired together on Wednesday night as head coach made nine changes.

Jota was deployed in the slightly deeper role but still showed his often erratic partner just how ruthless you must be as a striker, netting two effortlessly clinical goals.

Nunez, by contrast, struggled to find an opening but that was probably as much a result of Arne Slot’s team selection lacking a passer of genuine quality.

Federico Chiesa, on his first start since a summer move from Juv…