Liverpool overcame more disappointing refereeing decisions to superbly overcome Bournemouth with a clinical second half showing.
Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool
Premier League (21), Vitality Stadium
January 21, 2024
Goals
Nunez 49′ (assist: Jota)
Jota 70′ (assist: Gakpo)
Jota 79′ (assist: Bradley)
Nunez 90+3′ (assist: Gomez)
After 10 days without a game and 20 days since a league game, Liverpool returned to action on the south coast.
Conditions in Bournemouth were much like the League Cup game earlier in the season; stormy, with gusts of 50mph wind at kick-off time.
Liverpool were the better side in the first half but struggled to create any clearcut chances, with most shots from distance not really threatening.
Alexis Mac Allister, Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley were particularly impressive – Bradley making his Premier League debut and becoming the first Northern Irishman to play for the club in the Premier League.
But the biggest talking point at half time was the complete lack of anything being given, not even a foul, for a challenge by Justin Kluivert on Luis Diaz. It was a very similar, if not worse, challenge to what Curtis Jones was sent off for against Tottenham.
Paul Tierney on VAR didn’t even recommend the referee to have a look. More inconcistency from Premier League referees.
Half time: Bournemouth 0-0 Liverpool
- LFC superb in second half
- Bradley makes PL debut
- Owen Beck PL debut from bench
- Nunez & Jota doubles
Nunez and Jota linked up early in the first half to open the scoring. A lovely first time pass from Jota played in Nunez who rolled it in past the ‘keeper for his second goal in 16 games.
Liverpool should have had a penalty soon after, Jota was pushed by one player and fouled by another, but of course nothing given by referee or VAR.
Having struggled in the first half, Jota was much improved and he provided the second goal after some excellent work by Nunez and then Gakpo for the assist.
Jota’s sharp finish in at the near post was just what Liverpool deserved after a markedly improved second half.
And the Portuguese forward added his second with 10 minutes remaining, Jota superbly finishing after an initial mis-kick that turned the home fans’ laughter into away fans’ cheers.
Jurgen Klopp brought on Owen Beck for his Premier League debut from the bench, with 18-year-old midfielder Bobby Clark replacing Curtis Jones, who appeared to have a hamstring issue.
Nunez added his second with a lovely finish in stoppage time from Gomez’s cross.
Victory keeps the Reds top of the table, five points head of Man City but having played a game more.
Now, attention turns to domestic cups, with Fulham in the League Cup on Wednesday and Norwich in the FA Cup next Sunday.
TIA Man of the Match: Diogo Jota
Referee: Andy Madley
Bournemouth: Neto; Aarons, Zabarnyi, Mepham, Hill; Christie, Cook; Sinisterra, Kluivert, Tavernier; Solanke
Subs: Travers, Greenwood, Kelly, Billing, Kilkenny, Marcondes, Scott, Brooks, Moore
Liverpool: Alisson; Bradley (Beck 83′), Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Mac Allister, Elliott (Gravenberch 64′), Jones (Clark 83′); Diaz (Gakpo 64′), Nunez, Jota (Gordon 90+4′)
Subs not used: Kelleher, Adrian, Quansah, McConnell
Next Match: Fulham, League Cup (away, Wednesday, January 24)
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