Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo both scored twice as Carabao Cup holders Liverpool came from behind to beat 10-man West Ham 5-1 to set up a fourth-round tie with Brighton.

Arne Slot’s much-changed side fell behind in the first half when Jarell Quansah turned a West Ham corner into his own net, but Jota led a devastating Liverpool response.

The 27-year-old acrobatically headed in a failed attempt by debutant Federico Chiesa to level the score, before putting the Reds ahead just after half-time with a fine Curtis Jones goal.

West Ham briefly threatened to equalise after Michail Antonio came on. They twice had penalties disallowed for handball. Mohamed Salah made it a third, however, when he fired home a rebound after fellow substitute Alexis Mac Allister’s shot was saved. The visitors were then reduced to 10 men when Edson Alvarez was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Salah.

The Hammers’ night went from bad to worse when Cody Gakpo scored a quickfire two-pointer in the dying minutes of the game to seal the win, continuing Julen Lopetegui’s poor week following West Ham’s 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.

Liverpool meanwhile recorded their sixth win in seven games under their new manager to reach the next round of a competition they have won twice in the past three years.

Analysis: Jota underlines his value to Slot

Sky Sports’ Nick Wright:

Jota was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday, dropping out of the starting line-up for the first time under Slot for Darwin Nunez. However, on the strength of this display, he will not be out of the side for long.

The Portugal international scored his goals brilliantly. His first was a classic poaching move that saw him leapfrog Max Kilman (no mean feat considering his modest stature) and head home Chiesa’s shot from close range. His second was a classic example of a clever pass from Jones.

His impact was particularly impressive considering it came from an unfamiliar position. With Nunez as Liverpool’s No.9 and Gakpo and Chiesa on the wings, Jota played at No.10, relishing the chance to drop back into midfield, as he did in the build-up to his equaliser.

Salah’s goal from the bench and Gakpo’s late double underlined Liverpool’s strength in depth in attack on a night when Luis Diaz, their two-goal hero against Bournemouth, was completely unnecessary. But Jota’s early withdrawal suggests he could be back in the team for Saturday’s clash with Wolves.

He plays a crucial role in the Slot era.