HAMMERS BOUNCE BACK IN STYLE TO SHOW THERE'S LIFE AFTER RICE

UP UNTIL the moment when Andy Cole pulled ball No8 out of the hat and consigned West Ham to a quarter-final trip to Liverpool, this was not far off the perfect night for David Moyes.

- Malik Ouzia

West Ham 3
White 16 (og), Kudus 50, Bowen 60

Arsenal 1
Odegaard 90+6

On the back foot after three successive defeats in a grim week, the shiny coat slipping off an encouraging start to the season, a response was needed and delivered.

A bold team selection, including a forward line far more potent for Jarrod Bowen's central deployment, brought Moyes's first win over Arsenal as Hammers boss and with it a place in the last eight of a Carabao Cup that, despite a harsh draw, looks up for grabs.

True, Martin Odegaard's last-kick consolation furrowed the Scot's brow, his team now six games without a clean sheet, but by that stage any criticism was minor, a comfortable triumph secure thanks to strikes from Bowen and the excellent Mohammed Kudus, after Ben White's own-goal had given the home side a freak lead.

And so it was from gleefully upon high that hoards of home fans could delay their exits to return Declan Rice's tight lap of applause, the former Hammers captain back at the London Stadium for the first time since his £105million summer switch on an evening that could hardly have strayed further from his plan.