Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool: Speaking factors as Salah double sees Reds move tough check to spice up Premier League title credentials

Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool: Speaking factors as Salah double sees Reds move tough check to spice up Premier League title credentials

Had anybody stated this about Liverpool beating Bournemouth a few years in the past, it could’ve sounded ridiculous, however the Merseysiders’ victory on the Vitality on Saturday was a particularly hard-fought one and of completely immense significance within the Premier League title race. The truth that the 2 groups thought of Liverpool’s important rivals within the race, Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis, each suffered defeat at this stadium, gives some perspective on this matter. Moreover, Bournemouth went by December and January with out dropping a single recreation, a run of 11 video games in whole – enter Liverpool.

What doesn’t appear so out of the extraordinary is that each targets within the recreation had been scored by Mohamed Salah, confidently changing a penalty within the thirtieth minute, and displaying a contact of sheer class within the seventy fifth.

The groups

It must be stated that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola had quite a lot of gamers miss this recreation by accidents, clearly a burdening circumstance once you host the Premier League leaders. It arguably hampered his attacking ranks essentially the most, with each designated strikers, Evanilson (damaged foot) and Enes Unal (ACL), out of motion, in addition to winger Luis Sinisterra (knock). The latter was maybe the best to make up for, with quite a lot of comparable gamers of top quality at Iraola’s disposal.

Defenders James Hill, Julian Araujo (each hamstring), Adam Smith (muscle) and Marcos Senesi (thigh), in addition to midfielder Alex Scott (meniscus), had been unavailable as effectively.

Kepa Arrizabalaga was in aim. Centre-backs Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen had been flanked by Liverpool-linked Milos Kerkez on the left and Lewis Cook dinner on the correct. Ryan Christie and Tyler Adams paired up in the midst of the park, with the trio of David Brooks, Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo deployed behind Dango Outtara in assault.

As for Liverpool, they entered this recreation with their medical room clearing virtually totally, with Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones (each muscle) and Darwin Nunez (sickness) again in rivalry. Joe Gomez (hamstring) can be again in coaching, however this recreation got here too quickly for him to be concerned. Coach Arne Slot determined to go away out Federico Chiesa, after the Italian winger performed the total 90 minutes in midweek, for the primary time since becoming a member of the membership.

Quite a lot of key gamers had been rested within the closing spherical of the Champions League group stage – a slim defeat away to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday – however they had been all recalled right here. Alisson Becker stood between the posts, with centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate flanked by Trent Alexander-Arnold on the correct and Andy Robertson on the left. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister had been in deeper midfield roles, with Dominik Szoboszlai a bit futher up. Salah was deployed on the correct in assault, Cody Gakpo on the left, and Luis Diaz by the center.

Key moments

The very first thing to say is that Bournemouth arguably didn’t need to lose this recreation. They fought bravely and in an organized method, typically wanting the higher workforce on the pitch and threatening Liverpool’s aim fairly critically on quite a lot of events. They had been clearly motivated so as to add Liverpool to the listing of giants overwhelmed on the Vitality and performed like a correct workforce, with each participant notably concerned.

The Cherries began inflicting issues for the Reds from the primary whistle. They took their first shot inside 10 seconds, as Semenyo dispossessed Alexander-Arnold, charged ahead and fired low from the sting of the field, testing the alertness of Alisson. Liverpool then virtually acquired a aim from a scramble in Bournemouth’s field after a nook. Alexander-Arnold had one other second of questionable judgement quickly as his feeble try at a headed clearance enabled the Cherries to choose it up contained in the field, and Kluivert virtually shocked Alisson from a really tight angle, however the Brazilian goalkeeper is just too good for that.

It took Liverpool virtually 16 minutes to hit the goal for the primary time, as Gakpo minimize in from the left and fired a bouncing shot from vary to lastly give Kepa one thing to do. However Semenyo quickly gave Alexander-Arnold one other spherical of hell as he dribbled away from him contained in the field and fired sharply previous Konate from shut vary, hitting the put up.

But it surely was Semenyo who misplaced the ball simply inside Liverpool’s half earlier than the guests produced their greatest likelihood as much as that time. Gravenberch dispossessed the Bournemouth winger, Diaz, Szoboszlai and Salah mixed rapidly to have interaction Gakpo additional up, and the Dutchman noticed Szoboszlai’s run down the correct, giving the ball again to him simply in time for the Hungarian to have a transparent shot from seven or eight yards. It was, nonetheless, a poor end, straight into the well-positioned Kepa.

After which got here that essential second, when Robertson whipped a protracted move in behind the Bournemouth defence for Gakpo to chase. Cook dinner tried to meet up with the Liverpool attacker, however he was a bit unfortunate as he clipped his opponents foot from behind. It was a really slight contact, however fairly ample to convey a sprinting Gakpo down contained in the field. Referee Darren England gave the penalty right away, a call confirmed after a short VAR examine. Salah stepped up and put Liverpool forward.

Bournemouth thought they’d gotten again degree rapidly when Semenyo attacked Alexander-Arnold from the left once more and gave it to the overlapping Kerkez. The left-back pulled it again into the field and Brooks fired precisely previous Alisson, solely to see the linesman’s flag raised for Kerkez being offside. It took the VAR fairly a while to verify, however the name was confirmed and the aim dominated out.

Alexander-Arnold had a superb likelihood to make up for his earlier errors close to the tip of the primary half as he made a run into the field to get on the tip of a Salah cross, however his header was far too feeble to hassle Kepa. Liverpool tried to double their lead earlier than the break by Szoboszlai and Gravenberch as effectively, however neither midfielder managed to hit the goal from a superb place.

Bournemouth redoubled their efforts after the restart, and Kluivert got here shut twice within the opening minutes of the second half, sending a header astray and seeing Konate block his volley from contained in the field which might’ve in any other case undoubtedly gone in. A high-quality piece of intricate Cherries play ended with Christie setting Semenyo up for an incredible likelihood, however Alisson stepped as much as save his workforce as soon as extra.

It must be stated that Liverpool had been very fortunate on this interval, early within the second half, to stay with 11 gamers on the pitch. Mac Allister, already on a reserving, dedicated one other undoubtedly bookable offence and the foul was given, however the playing cards remained within the referee’s pocket, to the loud dismay of the house crowd. Slot reacted rapidly, withdrawing the Argentina worldwide to keep away from additional threat and sending Curtis Jones on as an alternative.

Quickly after, Kluivert had a second which can seemingly hang-out him for a very long time. Substitute James Tavernier had simply come on and fired from exterior the field, beating Alisson however solely hitting the put up. The rebound fell most kindly for Kluivert, unmarked at six yards, with the aim gaping broad, and but, he failed to manage his shot correctly and it went unbelievably broad.

After which Salah confirmed Kluivert and everybody else within the stadium what precisely it means to be a world-class attacker.

Kluivert, blood seemingly nonetheless pumping from the wasted likelihood, tried to pressure his approach into the Liverpool field and was crowded out. Jones picked it up and mixed with fellow substitute Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, earlier than receiving the ball once more simply exterior the Bournemouth field. He prolonged the move to the correct flank for Salah, who took his time as he approached Kerkez, after which, out of nowhere, merely lifted the ball straight into the far high nook, leaving Kepa rooted to the spot. It regarded the best factor on the planet.

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Bournemouth didn’t lose their function after conceding the second aim they usually nonetheless attacked, aiming to get again into the competition. Semenyo was nonetheless very motivated and got here very shut from round 20 yards, hitting an inch or two broad of the put up. Then he broke down the left wing once more an pulled it again into the field, forcing a careless response from Gravenberch who virtually scored an own-goal, however Alisson was very good once more to spare his midfielder some blushes.

Calls that spark debate

There have been two selections from Darren England, each in Liverpool’s favour, which sparked debate within the aftermath of this recreation. The followers of Arsenal, the workforce closest to Liverpool within the Premier League standings, felt notably aggrieved, extra so than these of Bournemouth.

The primary was the penalty resolution which resulted in Liverpool’s opening aim, however realistically talking, there was little to debate right here. The contact between Lewis Cook dinner and Cody Gakpo, although minimal, was apparent and undoubtedly ample to convey the Liverpool attacker down at full tempo. It got here from behind, and it was a transparent clip on the foot, and there was no approach for Gakpo to remain on his ft. It was a foul, it occurred effectively contained in the field, and the penalty was the right resolution.

The opposite was much less clear and much more controversial – the choice to not award a second yellow card to Alexis Mac Allister when the Liverpool midfielder went for a volley simply exterior Bournemouth’s field and inadvertently whacked David Brooks as an alternative. Because it wasn’t a case for a straight crimson card, the VAR had no proper to intervene.

There have been definitely components of a bookable offence right here, and any emotions of injustice from Bournemouth’s perspective (and by extension, Arsenal’s) could be comprehensible.

England, the principle offender behind the outrageous denial of a Liverpool aim in opposition to Tottenham Hotspur final season, might have executed some compensation on this event by forgiving Mac Allister, and in that case, he was clearly fallacious. For his or her half, Liverpool will level to Spurs midfielder Lucas Bergvall being forgiven a second yellow card in the same approach earlier than happening to attain the successful aim within the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal, however that may, after all, be utterly off the purpose. Two wrongs can hardly make a proper.

Had Mac Allister been despatched off, it stands to purpose to anticipate the sport would go in another way from that time on, however getting into such realms of guesswork is not sensible.

Liverpool on target in title race

Be that as it could, Liverpool have booked necessary three factors on a really tough journey to the south coast, and with Arsenal set to tackle Manchester Metropolis on the Emirates on Sunday, their place within the Premier League title race is stronger than it was earlier than.

In the meanwhile, Liverpool high the desk 9 factors forward of Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, 15 forward of Metropolis, and when Arsenal and Metropolis face one another on Sunday, the Merseysiders will nonetheless have a recreation in hand on all their rivals.

Liverpool’s consideration now turns to the second leg of the cup semifinal in opposition to Spurs, scheduled to happen at Anfield on Thursday, they usually have lots to do there going into the conflict a aim down. After that, they’ll tackle Plymouth Argyle within the fourth spherical of the FA Cup, and their subsequent Premier League match is the postponed Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park on February twelfth. In the event that they beat their neighbours, they’ll strengthen their lead additional.

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The one attainable drawback Liverpool may have after this recreation is an harm picked up by Alexander-Arnold. The England worldwide went down and requested to be substituted within the seventieth minute, with Conor Bradley stepping in off the bench. Talking to the press later, Slot stated he nonetheless waited to listen to from the medical workforce, however he didn’t anticipate the 26-year-old right-back to be prepared for the Spurs recreation.

Bournemouth can even face Everton – the Toffees are their opponent within the FA Cup subsequent week – after which they’ll have a superb likelihood to return to successful methods within the league as they journey to last-place Southampton, host relegation-threatened Wolves, and play away to faltering Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Cherries sit seventh with 40 factors in the mean time, and their candidacy for European locations subsequent season stays robust.