A calamitous start; an accomplished finish. Liverpool’s first win of the new campaign followed the pattern of this week’s search for a defensive midfielder to perfection.
Anfield was heartened and perplexed by Jürgen Klopp’s team in equal measure. Liverpool produced a vibrant comeback to defeat Bournemouth despite being reduced to 10 men and despite the defensive frailties that continue to accompany their prodigious attacking strength. Dominik Szoboszlai shone on his Anfield debut but fellow summer signing Alexis Mac Allister was harshly sent off on his first home start and will miss next Sunday’s visit to Newcastle unless Liverpool succeed in overturning referee Thomas Bramall’s decision. The club are considering an appeal.
Goals from Luis Díaz, Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota delivered a deserved victory for Klopp’s team but this was a gruelling effort. New signing Wataru Endo was introduced “in horrible circumstances”, according to his manager, as Liverpool’s 10 men fought to contain Andoni Iraola’s relentless visitors. The hosts’ recovery was exemplary, but only necessary because of a dreadful start that could have led to them being two goals down and a man down inside nine minutes.
“We had a wake-up call in the first minute but then two minutes later we concede again and two minutes after that our goalie is booked,” reflected Klopp. “We had to figure out why and then we were awake. Step by step we played really well.”
Bournemouth were unrecognisable from the team humiliated 9-0 in Scott Parker’s final game as manager here 12 months ago and fully deserving of an early lead. The hosts started with only two new faces, Mac Allister and the gifted Szoboszlai, but the rapport of complete strangers. Miscommunication littered Liverpool’s first steps. Only 53 seconds had elapsed when Jaidon Anthony rolled the ball into an empty Kop goal after a mix-up between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson. The visitors’ celebrations were curtailed by a close offside call against the goalscorer but Liverpool, and Alexander-Arnold in particular, failed to heed the warning.
Less than two minutes later the Liverpool right-back was dispossessed by Philip Billing after receiving Virgil van Dijk’s pass in midfield. The destructive Billing released Dominic Solanke and, though Andy Robertson was able to block the former Liverpool forward’s shot, Antoine Semenyo lashed the loose ball beyond Alisson. The Liverpool goalkeeper produced another calamity when stumbling on a Van Dijk pass outside his area and playing in Anthony. Alisson tripped the winger as he advanced on goal and was only spared a possible ninth minute red card because of Ibrahima Konaté covering behind.
In the 26th minute Anfield rose to applaud Michael Jones, the 26-year-old construction worker who died in an accident at Everton’s new stadium development at Bramley Moore dock on Monday. Klopp and the Liverpool first team squad had visited a memorial to the young Evertonian on their pre-match walk. The Liverpool manager left a wreath of flowers with a card that read: “Condolences from everyone at Liverpool Football Club. YNWA” before the group held a minute’s silence. A touch of class.
The applause for Jones was still reverberating when Liverpool levelled. The home team’s performance improved immeasurably from that moment. Alexander-Arnold compensated for his defensive lapses, as he does so often, with a part in all three Liverpool goals. He picked out Diogo Jota with a fine ball from the right. The forward swept into the area and squared for Díaz to tee himself up for an acrobatic finish into the bottom corner.
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Szoboszlai won a penalty when making the most of contact from Joe Rothwell’s outstretched leg. “A soft, soft penalty,” said Iraola. Neto saved brilliantly from Salah’s spot-kick but was furious to see Bournemouth’s players stand and admire his efforts while Salah converted the rebound unchallenged.
Liverpool were rampant at the start of the second half until Mac Allister received a straight red for a foul on Ryan Christie. The dismissal looked harsh, although the World Cup winner was late and high with a challenge that resulted in the Bournemouth midfielder’s own early exit. The 10 men made light of the dismissal. Szoboszlai collected Alexander-Arnold’s touch and drilled in a low shot that Neto parried into the path of Jota. The Portugal international made no mistake and though Bournemouth pressed, with Alisson saving smartly from substitutes Justin Kluivert and Hamed Traoré, Liverpool held on.
