Liverpool 2 - 1 Bournemouth

Liverpool: Salah 25’, Mané 33’
Bournemouth: Wilson 8’

Pre-Match

Milner returns straight to the starting XI after returning from injury. He’s covering for the injured Andy Robertson at left-back. This is a big game in terms of regaining momentum for the Reds. Let’s hope we see a big reaction from the team.

First Half

Liverpool’s defense and midfield are both a little out of whack due to injuries. Things start out a bit wobbly, and Liverpool get punished for their compliance almost immediately.

Goal :( - 8’ Wilson - The attack begins with a shove on Joe Gomez’s back that somehow goes uncalled by the referee. Callum Wilson gets away and slots it past Adrian. What is VAR for if not to call those kinds of missed fouls? Wow. But ok, Liverpool start the game down, with Bournemouth scoring on the Kop end.

It’s nearly 2-0 a few minutes later when Ake gets a mighty header on a Bournemouth corner, but Adrian manages to tip the ball up and over the net for another corner.

That last attack seems to have woken Liverpool up, thank goodness. They’ve become more lively and attentive as this half has worn on.

GOAL!!!!!! - 25’ Salah - ALL HAIL SADIO MANE. The winger picks the pocket of Bournemouth substitute James Simpson in a very dangerous error as the defender tries to play it out the back. The cutback to Salah is less than ideal, he probably should have tried for the goal himself, but Salah controls it and surprises the goalkeeper by using his right foot to sink it into the near corner. Liverpool are level.

Liverpool are pushing for that second goal. You can see them remembering who they are in real time here. The passes have become crisper and the runs more precise.

GOAL!!!! - 33’ Mané - And Liverpool are rewarded a few minutes later. It’s van Dijk who spots Mane’s run and sends a pinpoint pass his way. Mane controls the ball and makes it count.

Andy Robertson being actually, you know, left-footed is missed as James Milner contorts himself to get his right foot on a pass to lob it safely into Ramsdale’s grateful embrace.

Liverpool end the half pushing forward relentlessly. It would be nice to get one more before the whistle blows for halftime. There’s four minutes of added time because of an injury to Steve Cook early on. The extra time doesn’t help either team and the half ends 2-1.

Second Half

Liverpool start off playing towards the Kop with a corner that goes no where, but it’s a good opening gambit for the second half.

Wow wow wow, Liverpool get themselves into some desperate moments with a few sloppy balls. James Milner needs to make up for Adrian’s mistake. The goalkeeper leaves his line to try and stop Ryan Fraser from bombing forward. Fraser lobs the ball over the advancing Adrian, and Milner makes a perfectly aimed block to prevent a goal.

The teams are exchanging corners as the half continues. Trent Alexander-Arnold hits a good one right to van Dijk’s head, but Ramsdale makes the save.

At 67’, former Liverpool play Dominic Solanke comes on as a substitute for Bournemouth.

Klopp can’t love how effective Callum Wilson has been in this game. He’s made a nuisance of himself all game, and of course, scored the goal for Bournemouth.

Goals notwithstanding, Liverpool’s performance in the box has been poor today. The front three can’t seem to connect with each other when it matters the most.

Mané strikes from distance, but the ball clangs off the crossbar, saving Ramsdale’s skin, as the keeper was completely beaten there. That would have been an absolute beauty.

Liverpool engineer a series of corners, but they don’t trouble the keeper at all and end with Bournemouth trying to attack on the break. It doesn’t end well, but it’s still disappointing. At 79’, Bournemouth have used all three of their substitutions while Liverpool’s starting XI remains unchanged. Bournemouth find themselves in some trouble now, though, because Philip Billing has injured himself, but they are out of subs, so at the moment the Cherries are down to 10 men.

Meanwhile, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has come on for Adam Lallana in the midfield.

Referee Paul Tierney waves away a penalty shout as he gets taken down in the box. The fall is a bit dramatic, but the foul was legit.

Firmino has great opportunity to close this game out in injury time, but the shot goes well over the net. In a shocking turn of events, Callum Wilson gets a yellow card for a foul against James Milner. He looks confused about why Tierney is suddenly calling fouls when he’d been letting them go for the whole game, but there we are

Final Thoughts

We’re back, baby! Liverpool win their 22nd home game in a row, breaking their own Premier League record. Three points closer to the promise land.