Liverpool struck twice late on as they opened the defence of their Premier League title with a dramatic victory over Bournemouth on an emotional night at Anfield.
Tributes were paid before and during the game to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a car crash in July, with a minute’s silence observed before kick-off and applause in the 20th minute – the forward having worn Liverpool’s number 20 jersey.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot gave first Premier League starts to four of his summer recruits, and it was Hugo Ekitike – a £70m signing from Eintracht Frankfurt – who broke Bournemouth’s stubborn resistance with a composed finish eight minutes before the break.
And when Ekitike turned provider to set up Cody Gakpo for a second four minutes after the break, Liverpool looked on course for a comfortable victory.
Referee Anthony Taylor stopped play in the first half when Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo reported that he had been racially abused by a member of the crowd.
And it was Semenyo, showing great character and resolve, who put Bournemouth back in contention when he pulled a goal back from close range after 64 minutes, before crowning a swift break with the equaliser 14 minutes from time.
The Cherries looked set to snatch a point until the unlikely figure of Federico Chiesa steered home his first Premier League goal for Liverpool two minutes from time, Mohamed Salah wrapping up the win with a low finish in front of The Kop.
Slot wasted no time in integrating his expensive summer acquisitions as he gave first Premier League starts to the quartet of Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez – against his former club – Florian Wirtz and Ekitike.
Frenchman Ekitike was far and away the pick of the bunch with a vibrant performance as scorer and creator, deservedly receiving a standing ovation when he was substituted after 71 minutes.
Wirtz was quiet in the number 10 role behind Ekitike ,in what was a disjointed Liverpool display lacking so much of the calm and cohesion that was the trademark of Slot’s first season in charge – which led to Liverpool strolling to the title.
And, as in the Community Shield defeat by Crystal Palace, there was a vulnerability running through this Liverpool side that will need work and almost resulted in them squandering a win that was theirs for the taking for the first hour.
It needed a typical late surge in front of The Kop to claim the three points in the face of a Bournemouth response which exposed Liverpool’s defence far too often – especially down the flanks and through midfield, where the stabilising influence of the suspended Ryan Gravenberch was sorely missed.
Liverpool, however, gathered themselves as champions do, with Chiesa finally making his mark after life in the shadows at Anfield to put them back in front, Salah inevitably rounding things off.
It is only to be expected that the arrival of so many new faces, no matter how gifted, will lead to instability and this has been in evidence, leaving Slot with work to do to put all his many new pieces into place.
Liverpool were delighted with the three points, with Anfield celebrating accordingly, but this was a real scare as the champions were far from their best. – BBC.
