Bournemouth 3-2 Liverpool: The Reds’ unbeaten run is brought to an end at the Vitality Stadium
A typical Premier League rollercoaster of a game, the kind that Bournemouth are used to creating, ended with Liverpool in defeat, Arne Slot raging, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and the rest of the Liverpool contingent abashed as a familiar sensation tingled inside them.
When Dominik Szoboszlai curled in a magnificent freekick with 10 minutes left in normal time, another great, restorative goal of his this season – where would Liverpool be without him? – it looked like the Reds had come back to life after a horror start saw Van Dijk sleeping at the byline when Alex Scott worked hard to play a cut back pass, and Evanilson slammed it into the net to rouse the Vitality Stadium, before Alejandro Jimenez skipped past a snoozing Milos Kerkez and slotted in the second.
Van Dijk had made partial amends with a header to halve the lead before Szoboszlai made sure Liverpool could leave with at least a point. They only had to defend their goal for roughly 14 minutes. Cue mayhem in front of the Liverpool goal line.
James Hill had flung in one of the league’s characteristic long throws this season from the right and it caused a scramble, right in the six-yard box. One side tried to get a decisive, winning touch and the other tried to clear. Amine Adli was the last-man standing, sending the ball into the far corner on his second attempt. The Vitality exploded. Manager Andoni Iraola punched his fists into the night air.
Defeat means Liverpool’s 13-game unbeaten run, stretching back to November, has ended. But it always seemed a hollow run. They had drawn the last four league games, failed to beat any of the promoted sides at Anfield, and looked unconvincing on the ball for majority of games.
There will be many who will point an accusatory finger at Salah, Liverpool losing again in the Egyptian’s first league game back in the side after Africa Cup of Nations duties. Salah was anonymous for most of the game and, when he had the ball, played with a heavy leg. He performed the back-heeled pass for Szoboszlai’s freekick and that will be recorded as an assist, but beyond that he did not impact the game.
Fans’ righteous anger may of course equally be directed towards Van Dijk and Kerkez, who were culpable for Bournemouth’s first and second goals respectively, switching off at the decisive moment. Slot was furious at the match officials at the final whistle, something about the added minutes not being enough, but he would do well to look at the issues in his side.
Liverpool were outplayed for a majority of the game and when Bournemouth emphatically took the lead, few could say it was undeserved. Marcos Senesi was superb, repeatedly sending out searching passes from the backline. Alex Scott was excellent in midfield. Their second hit Liverpool hard but Van Dijk did well to reduce the deficit with a header from a corner.
Andy Robertson, who has been linked with a move to Tottenham, came on at the break to replace Kerkez. The young Rio Ngumoha earned the freekick after he was pulled back by Jimenez and Szoboszlai dispatched it into the corner to summon sighs of relief.
Yet Bournemouth were better from that moment on. Scott danced dangerously towards goal and after he was dispossessed, Ryan Christie pounced on the loose ball and sent a curling shot towards the roof of the net but Alisson was alert to tip it over. Then Christie drove forward again moments later and slipped the ball into Evanilson. It was Alisson who again kept his side in the game, rushing out and making himself big enough that Evanilson rolled the chance wide.
Liverpool had their own golden chance at the other end when Hugo Ekitike played Florian Wirtz in and the German sent a dangerous ball creeping across the Cherries’ goal. Then came the heartbreaking scramble at the end.
