Mohamed Salah scored a terrific hat-trick to send Liverpool top of the Premier League with a comfortable 4-0 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Salah found the net either side of half-time, before a Steve Cook own goal and the Egyptian's third sealed the win to put Liverpool a point clear of Manchester City, who play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.
With Joe Gomez out for six weeks, Joel Matip was drafted into the centre of defence, while Jurgen Klopp opted to leave out Trent Alexander-Arnold, meaning James Milner started his 500th Premier League game at right back.
Salah and Roberto Firmino returned to the side having been rested for the midweek win over Burnley, but Bournemouth were without their leading man Callum Wilson because of a hamstring injury.
Xherdan Shaqiri clipped the wall with a venomous free-kick in a tentative start, before Salah's opener came courtesy of an Asmir Begovic clanger and some poor officiating. Firmino's volley was well struck but straight at the Bosnian 'keeper, who made a mess of it, parrying out to an offside Mo Salah to tuck home.
Without Wilson, Bournemouth struggled to build any kind of consistent pressure, but Nathan Ake did miss a decent chance to level, missing his kick on the volley after Ryan Fraser's delivery had unexpectedly found its way to him at the back post.
Immediately after the break, Liverpool doubled their lead when Simon Francis gave the ball away on half-way, allowing Firmino to feed Salah. The Egyptian raced away from Francis, stood up Ake and found the far corner brilliantly.
The three points were wrapped up when the unfortunate Cook diverted Andy Robertson's cross past his own 'keeper, before Salah toyed with the Bournemouth backline, rounding Begovic and slotting past Ake on the line.
