Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Reds Bounce Back From Early Scare

?Liverpool ended their two-game losing streak across all competitions thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané against Bournemouth on Saturday, but Jürgen Klopp’s side had to work for the result after conceding an early goal.

Bournemouth took a surprise lead at Anfield through Callum Wilson – who appeared to foul Joe Gomez in the build-up – tapped the ball into an empty net after the Cherries were able to catch Liverpool on a rare counter-attack, while Nathan Aké almost doubled their lead from a corner.

Salah recovered well from Mané’s poor layoff to level the scoreline, while it was the Senegal international who completed the turnaround before half time as Liverpool pounced on a loose pass from Lewis Cook.

Mohamed Salah,Sadio Mane

James Milner was called into action to keep Liverpool’s lead intact, clearing Ryan Fraser’s chip off the line, while Mané tried his luck from long range and was only denied a second by the woodwork.

Bournemouth had the chance to level the scoreline late on but Wilson completely miss-hit his close-range effort, so while Liverpool couldn’t add to their lead as full time approached, Klopp’s side were able to pick their first win of the month.

Liverpool

Key Talking Point

James Milner gave his teammates a speech before the game about fighting for every ball, but Gomez clearly didn’t pay any attention as he was brushed aside too easily by Callum Wilson in the build-up to Bournemouth’s opener. The incident may have looked like a foul but VAR ruled the goal valid and the Reds were left facing another uphill battle.

While there certainly didn’t appear to be any pre-match nerves, Liverpool really lost their bearings after going behind inside a stunned Anfield, even creating fewer openings than Eddie Howe’s side throughout the opening 25 minutes.

Mohamed Salah

However, the Reds were able to punish Bournemouth’s two mistakes to go into the break with the lead, and normal service resumed from there. Yet, Liverpool once again showed signs that they’re still not as invincible as many had thought.

Still, the win means Liverpool have now won their last 22 Premier League home games, the longest winning streak in English top-flight history, while just three more victories (home or away) will guarantee the title officially…

Player Ratings

Adrian (4); Alexander-Arnold (7), Gomez (6), van Dijk (8*), Milner (7); Oxlade-Chamberlain (7), Fabinho (6), Wijnaldum (7); Salah (8), Firmino (6), Mane (8).

Substitutes: Lallana (6), Origi (N/A).

Virgil van Dijk

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané who won the game for Liverpool, but it was Virgil van Dijk who provided the platform for the Reds to return to winning ways this weekend.

Although Bournemouth had their chances going forward, Eddie Howe’s side always had to play their way around van Dijk and instead targeted Gomez, either through open play or from set-pieces.


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The Netherlands international also provided a brilliant first-time pass to set up Mané’s match-winning goal after reacting the quickest to Lewis Cook’s loose pass.

Bournemouth

Key Talking Point

Bournemouth didn’t quite follow the blueprint that Atlético Madrid and Watford cowrote to the letter, but Eddie Howe’s side were still able to cause Liverpool all sorts of problems in attack and defence.

At the back, Bournemouth got all-but Callum Wilson behind the ball, making things congested in the middle of the pitch. Individual errors from Jack Simpson and then Lewis Cook ultimately proved to be their undoing.

Callum Wilson

Andy Robertson’s absence made things a little bit more predictable out wide too, with Liverpool primarily using balls out wide to Mohamed Salah or Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right side as their main attack outlet.

Going forward, Wilson was a constant headache for Van Dijk and Gomez, and although Bournemouth did create enough chances in the match to at least come away with a point, Liverpool just had too much for the Cherries to handle.

Player Ratings

Ramsdale (6); Stacey (6), S. Cook (6), Ake (7), Smith (6), Billing (6), Lerma (7), L. Cook (6); Stanislas (7), Wilson (8), Fraser (6).

Substitutes: Simpson (3), Solanke (6), Gosling (6).

Callum Wilson

It can be a lonely job when you’re playing as the lone striker against Liverpool, but Callum Wilson rose to the challenge, proving to be the focal point in every single dangerous attack Bournemouth were able to muster.


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It hasn’t always gone Wilson’s way this season, but his performance at Anfield showed exactly why the 28-year-old has already broken into England’s senior national team and why a recall shouldn’t be dismissed ahead of Euro 2020.

Looking Ahead

Liverpool will look to turn things around in the Champions League against Atlético Madrid in midweek, while next week’s Merseyside derby is also on the horizon.

For Bournemouth, they’ll host Crystal Palace next week.

For more from Ben Carter, follow him on Twitter!

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