Ben Fisher was at the Vitality this evening and has filed his match report, so we can all make sense of it.
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“It was a massive moment,” Bournemouth’s Alex Scott tells Sky Sports when asked about that late winner. “We pride ourselves on pressing nonstop until the final whistle and we got our rewards there. We’ve got to work nonstop for this manager and these fans.”
He says he enjoys playing with Lewis Cook in the centre of midfield and that Junior Kroupi can always bring some magic playing in front of them.
On his England prospects ahead of the World Cup, he says: “It’s a long way to go. I’ve got to keep working hard. Fingers crossed I get another call in March.”
A pretty glum Virgil van Dijk speaks of his disappointment at losing so late on. “Last minute of the game, very tough to take,” he tells Sky Sports. “We worked very hard in the second half especially to get back in the game. To concede that late is very disappointing.”
He says he was “clearly blocked” for Bournemouth’s winning goal. As for their first goal, he says the wind made the ball into the box difficult to judge and suggested maybe Liverpool should’ve kicked the ball out to get their substitute on.
“Losing never feels good, especially as a Liverpool player,” he continues. “We’re trying to find consistency. I don’t think there’s any question about our togetherness but the consistency still needs to be found. There was a lot of praise for our performance [against Marseille] and you lose a game like today and the other side of the world comes out.”
What does that mean for Liverpool? Arne Slot won’t be pleased with the fact they went behind while playing with 10 men but their defending was inexcusable at times. Dominik Szoboszlai looked to have rescued them again but another defensive lapse has cost them a draw and their 13-game unbeaten run.
They are now winless in five in the Premier League and, should results go against them tomorrow, they could end the weekend as low as 8th in the table.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 22 | 26 | 50 |
| 2 | Man City | 23 | 26 | 46 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 22 | 8 | 43 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 23 | 3 | 36 |
| 5 | Man Utd | 22 | 6 | 35 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 22 | 12 | 34 |
| 7 | Fulham | 23 | 0 | 34 |
| 8 | Brentford | 22 | 5 | 33 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 22 | 5 | 33 |
| 10 | Sunderland | 23 | -2 | 33 |
| 11 | Everton | 22 | -1 | 32 |
| 12 | Brighton | 23 | 2 | 30 |
| 13 | AFC Bournemouth | 23 | -5 | 30 |
| 14 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23 | 2 | 28 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 22 | -2 | 28 |
| 16 | Leeds | 22 | -7 | 25 |
| 17 | Nottm Forest | 22 | -13 | 22 |
| 18 | West Ham | 23 | -18 | 20 |
| 19 | Burnley | 23 | -19 | 15 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 23 | -28 | 8 |
James Hill had been causing Liverpool real bother all game with his long throws. Bournemouth are rewarded for throwing bodies forward in the dying stages. I’m not really sure what happened on the last throw – the ball hit the post at some point as various players descended on it in front of goal. Amine Adli somehow managed to poke it through a few bodies, including Alisson, and into the far side-netting from on the byline.
Bournemouth, who looked to have surrendered a two-goal lead after Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai’s superb free-kick routine, snatch all three points with the last kick of the game and pick up only their second win since October.
Well, extraordinary. Andoni Iraola looks like he wants to cartwheel across the pitch. Arne Slot is in discussions with the officials.
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Full time: Bournemouth 3-2 Liverpool
And that’s it! Bournemouth win it at the death!
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VAR confirms that the goal stands! My word that was carnage.
GOAL! Bournemouth 3-2 Liverpool (Adli 90+5)
Unbelievable! Hill’s long throw sparks an almighty goalmouth scramble and Adli stabs it in from the tightest of angles!
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90+4 min: Hill’s long throw is flicked on but Ekitiké manages to clear … but only for another throw and Hill comes across to take.
90+3 min: Van Dijk connects with the corner but he can only flick it away. Jones sends the ball back in but Petrovic claims. Adli wins a throw up the pitch and Gravenberch is booked for kicking the ball away.
90+2 min: Salah hits a cross across goal but nobody in white can connect with it. Wirtz wins a corner. Bournemouth send on Enes Unal for Evanilson.
90+1 min: Wirtz escapes from Cook with some neat footwork and tries to disguise a pass to a teammate when the away fans wanted him to shoot.
90 min: Four minutes added on. It’s been end-to-end since Szoboszlai’s equaliser.
89 min: A few hearts miss a beat in the Bournemouth crowd as Hill passes the ball back towards his own goal and Petrovic has to move quickly to control it. Danger averted.
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87 min: Scott shoots over! It’s not an easy chance and, left-footed, he clears the crossbar with a first-time shot from the edge of the box.
86 min: So close for Liverpool! Wirtz goes low across Petrovic, who diverts the ball just wide of the far post. The referee didn’t spot the goalkeeper’s touch and it’s a goal-kick.
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85 min: Alex Toth is on for his Bournemouth debut, signed from Ferencvaros this week. Jiménez goes off.
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84 min: Evanilson should score! It’s so open now. Christie marauds into the Liverpool half, plays a pass to Evanilson at just the right time but the Brazilian toes it just wide of the near post as Alisson closes him down.
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83 min: Ngumoha looks to cause trouble again, driving past Christie before going down under Jiménez’s challenge after overrunning the ball. He’s made a real difference.
81 min: What a save from Alisson! Bournemouth try to hit back straight away with Christie smacking one goalwards from the edge of the box. Alisson sticks out a glove and tips it over.
GOAL! Bournemouth 2-2 Liverpool (Szoboszlai 80)
Salah runs to take the free-kick but backheels it into Szoboszlai’s path and the midfielder whips the ball into the far corner! All square!
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79 min: Ngumoha is getting some joy against Jiménez. This time the youngster comes inside and Jiménez eventually brings him down just outside the box, removing his boot in the process. Szoboszlai and Salah are eyeing this one up …
78 min: Nervy moments for the hosts as Ngumoha jinks past Jiménez in the box, who sticks out a leg and clips him. The teenager is honest and stays on his feet, which should be applauded. Anyone more experienced would have gone down and probably won a penalty.
76 min: Liverpool try some intricate passing on the edge of the box. Ekitiké rides a couple of challenges but then goes down in instalments and gets nothing from the referee.
74 min: Ekitiké loses the ball under pressure from Cook, who chooses to send a ball across the six-yard box when Evanilson had wanted it cut back.
Liverpool replace Gakpo with Rio Ngumoha.
72 min: Scott’s free-kick hits the top of the wall and Hill can wind up a long throw. Christie, Evanilson and Jiménez all have a go at directing it goalwards but Alisson eventually gathers.
70 min: Bournemouth launch a counterattack and, after Van Dijk clears a cross, Ekitiké is penalised for a challenge on Scott despite perhaps getting the ball. Bournemouth have a free-kick in a central position about 30 yards from goal …
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69 min: Gakpo and Robertson combine down the left, with the Scot’s cross blocked out for a corner by Smith. Szoboszlai takes and Petrovic punches clear.
67 min: Gravenberch is next to have a go at goal, working the ball on to his left and dragging a shot not far wide of the post. Decent effort.
Kroupi is replaced by Ryan Christie for Bournemouth.
66 min: Another long Hill throw is cleared by Liverpool, who get bodies forward quickly. The ball falls to Jones on the edge of the box but his shot is blocked. Kroupi whacks the ball out for a throw, much to the annoyance of every Bournemouth fan who wants to see them actually keep the ball for a bit.
64 min: The Bournemouth fans are up in arms as Truffert wrestles with Endo as the latter tries to see the ball out of play in the box. A foul is given before Kroupi tucks the cutback into an empty net. Hill’s long throw is then cleared by Salah.
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62 min: Bournemouth have lost any kind of threat going forward. Liverpool come again with Szoboszlai, who clips the ball into the box where it’s blocked by Senesi. Handball, Liverpool say. His arm was tucked into his body – no dice.
60 min: Gakpo come inside near the area and finds Salah, who returns the ball but Gakpo’s shot is blocked. Liverpool trying to turn the screw.
59 min: Liverpool subs – Hugo Ekitiké and Curtis Jones come on for Mac Allister and Frimpong. Szoboszlai goes to right-back, Jones in midfield.
57 min: Bournemouth can’t get out at the moment. Frimpong forces another corner, which Salah gifts to Petrovic. Liverpool are preparing changes.
55 min: Liverpool continue to play without much of a focal point. Gakpo is often drawn out to the left, leaving Szoboszlai or Salah (or sometimes no one) to occupy the centre-backs. A Szoboszlai corner is plucked out of the sky by Petrovic.
53 min: Endo drives into a gap in the Bournemouth midfield and attempts a bit of a Hollywood ball to Gakpo through the middle. It’s not far from coming off but Petrovic reads it.
51 min: Jiménez tries to bring Bournemouth out, driving forward down the right before involving Kroupi. Van Dijk is able to intercept the ball back to Jiménez and Liverpool launch an attack. Salah gets to the byline on the left and crosses into the box but nobody is there.
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49 min: Robertson’s first involvement is to run on to a ball down the left and cut it back first-time across the penalty area, where Frimpong’s shot is blocked.
47 min: Hill lobs a throw into the Liverpool box. The ball slips out of Alisson’s hands like a bar of soap and Liverpool concede a corner. Cook’s delivery is over everyone and out for a goal-kick.
Restart
The second half is under way. Milos Kerkez has been hooked, with Spurs-linked Andy Robertson on in his place.
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Match reports: Read about the day’s Premier League events
Ian Copestake emails: “The Guardian recently did a list of top time loop movies. If Salah is taken off to accommodate Ekitike then come full time Bill Murray might be waiting for Mo in the freezone with his mic.”
Martin Kerr has a less than glowing review: “Salah’s legs have gone, and all his confidence and swagger along with them. He’s gotten outrun twice by Adam Smith!”
Joe Pearson writes in: “By my count, Van Dijk is responsible for all three goals: completely shutting off for the first (a bad habit of his), playing Jimenez onside for the second, then scoring the third. Big half for the Dutchman!”
Peter Oh offers: “Van Dijk was let down by his left foot and left shoulder on the Bournemouth goals, but he has made amends with his head.”
Let’s not forget Bournemouth have won just once since October and haven’t beaten Liverpool since 2023. It’ll take some mental fortitude to resist Liverpool for the whole of the second half but, then again, Arne Slot’s team have looked very vulnerable at the back.
Half-time: Bournemouth 2-1 Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk’s header rescued something for Liverpool out of that first half. Goals from Evanilson – while Liverpool were playing with 10 men with Joe Gomez off injured – and Álex Jiménez had given Bournemouth a pretty convincing lead.
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45+4 min: Salah’s free-kick is headed away at the near post by Truffert.
45+3 min: Liverpool win a free-kick on the right of the penalty area after Adli trips Frimpong. Kroupi goes into the book for wellying the ball up the other end of the pitch after the whistle went.
45+2 min: Wirtz tries to find Gakpo in the area but Bournemouth cut it out. One minute of added time remains.
GOAL! Bournemouth 2-1 Liverpool (Van Dijk 45)
Liverpool are back in it! One Salah corner is poor and flicked out for another. Szoboszlai takes this one from the other side and Van Dijk glances it past Petrovic at the near post. What a lift that will be.
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44 min: Good chance for Salah. Gakpo lifts a ball towards the winger at the back post but his volley is weak and easily held by Petrovic. That’s Liverpool’s first shot on target.
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43 min: Endo slides in to try to stop a Bournemouth breakaway on halfway but Adli scampers away with the ball. His cross into the box is into a good area but safely gathered by Alisson.
42 min: Liverpool want a penalty as Gakpo runs into Hill in the area but they won’t get anything for that. Wirtz gives a foul away straight after, only giving the home supporters another reason to cheer sarcastically.
40 min: Just wide from Wirtz! He comes inside off the right and aims for the far bottom corner with his right foot but it flies just wide of the post.
39 min: A slightly jaded Liverpool try to respond. Wirtz tries to lay a pass back for Gravenberch on the edge of the box but there are plenty of Bournemouth players in the way. Jiménez, moving a bit better now, manages to stop Kerkez sending a cross into the box.
Evanilson drives at the Liverpool box but slips over the ball just as he entered shooting range.
37 min: Bournemouth are now effectively playing with 10 with Jiménez carrying a problem. Adli’s dangerous cross finds no one at the far post, where Jiménez would have been. Smith is doing two men’s work down the right.
Liverpool were still playing with 10 men when the goal happened. Endo has now replaced Gomez. Alisson was frustrated that the referee didn’t stop play to allow the substitution to happen.
A VAR check for offside comes to a quick conclusion that Jiménez was played onside by Van Dijk as the ball was played through.
GOAL! Bournemouth 2-0 Liverpool (Jiménez 33)
It’s two! Hill is allowed to run into acres of space in the Liverpool half and slides a ball in behind Kerkez into Jiménez’s path and the Spaniard shoots low through Alisson’s legs.
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32 min: Mac Allister tries to inject some life into an aimless spell of Liverpool possession. It’s worked out wide to Gakpo, who cuts inside and shoots low into a bunch of bodies.
30 min: Bournemouth come forward against the 10 men. Senesi tries to find Kroupi in the box but Van Dijk heads away. Wataru Endo is stripped and ready to replace Gomez.
Gomez and Alisson smashed into each other as Evanilson tucked the ball into the net. The defender has come off worse and is off the pitch for the moment.
GOAL! Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool (Evanilson 26)
Bournemouth lead, almost out of nothing! Senesi launches a straight ball into the Liverpool box, Scott hooks it back into the middle from the byline and Evanilson beats Gomez and Alisson to it to sweep it home.
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24 min: Evanilson tries to lead a one-man attack for Bournemouth and is eventually joined by Adli, but he gives it away. Liverpool go up the other end to win another corner … Salah sends it to the back post once more and it’s cleared.
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22 min: Neither of those Liverpool corners was particularly good. The camera pans to their new set-piece guru in the dugout, Lewis Mahoney, who wears a poker face.
20 min: Bournemouth are just growing into this a bit but Wirtz looks a real threat for Liverpool. He wins a corner which Salah floats to the back post again. To much grumbling, Liverpool are given another corner after it bounced behind off Adli. Szoboszlai’s delivery is taken in by Petrovic.
18 min: Bournemouth win a corner, which Cook lifts towards the back post but it evades everyone and bounces away from danger. Hill then tries something speculative with a shot on the turn but it floats harmlessly over.
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16 min: Smith stops Salah having a one-on-one with Petrovic after Liverpool launch a counter from an attacking Bournemouth free-kick.
14 min: A mildly hostile reception for Kerkez as he wins a free-kick after Jiménez gives him a small shove in the back. Wirtz glides into a pocket of space on the edge of the box and tries to slide a pass into Salah but it’s cleared for a corner. Salah’s corner goes the way of 176 of Liverpool’s 177 previous corners this season: without a goal.
Salah and Gakpo combine in the area before Wirtz has the chance to cut the ball back inside the six-yard box but Smith gets in the way.
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12 min: Szoboszlai finds Salah in behind with the outside of his foot but the Egyptian’s pass across goal is cut out before it can reach Gakpo waiting in the middle. Salah had more time and space than he realised there – if he was feeling selfish he would’ve gone for goal himself.
10 min: Salah once again has to get on his bike to catch a Mac Allister ball in behind that skips along quickly on the wet surface and eventually rolls out for a goal-kick. Bournemouth have only managed to make one or two forays into the final third.
8 min: Liverpool only really look dangerous going down their right, with Frimpong and Salah being supported by Wirtz and Szoboszlai on occasion. Kerkez is yet to get the ball on the left, so no boos have come his way.
6 min: Salah has the first attempt at goal, playing a one-two with Wirtz inside the box and curling high and wide of the far post.
4 min: Bournemouth get on the ball in their own half before Petrovic pings a low ball to no one on halfway. Liverpool start to move the ball around on the edge of the Bournemouth box.
2 min: Gomez goes long down the line to Salah, who scampers after it but hooks his right-footed cross into the fans behind the goal.
Kick-off
Liverpool get things going in their off-white away kit. The weather is miserable.
Adam Smith and Virgil van Dijk lead their teams out into the rain at the Vitality Stadium. This should be fast-paced on a wet surface. Kick-off is upon us.
Almost by stealth, Liverpool have put an unbeaten run together of 13 games. The 4-1 humbling by PSV was their last defeat in any competition.
Liverpool’s unbeaten run:
Games: 13
Wins: 7
Draws: 6
Goals scored per game: 1.77
Next five:
Bournemouth (a)
Qarabag (h)
Newcastle (h)
Manchester City (h)
Sunderland (a)
There’s been plenty of late drama in the Premier League so far today. These are all full-time results:
West Ham 3-1 Sunderland
Burnley 2-2 Tottenham
Fulham 2-1 Brighton
Manchester City 2-0 Wolves
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 22 | 26 | 50 |
| 2 | Man City | 23 | 26 | 46 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 22 | 8 | 43 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 22 | 4 | 36 |
| 5 | Man Utd | 22 | 6 | 35 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 22 | 12 | 34 |
| 7 | Fulham | 23 | 0 | 34 |
| 8 | Brentford | 22 | 5 | 33 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 22 | 5 | 33 |
| 10 | Sunderland | 23 | -2 | 33 |
| 11 | Everton | 22 | -1 | 32 |
| 12 | Brighton | 23 | 2 | 30 |
| 13 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23 | 2 | 28 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 22 | -2 | 28 |
| 15 | AFC Bournemouth | 22 | -6 | 27 |
| 16 | Leeds | 22 | -7 | 25 |
| 17 | Nottm Forest | 22 | -13 | 22 |
| 18 | West Ham | 23 | -18 | 20 |
| 19 | Burnley | 23 | -19 | 15 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 23 | -28 | 8 |
Nobody has scored more goals against Bournemouth in Premier League history than Mohamed Salah. He’s got 12 in 12 games against them, including two last season in Liverpool’s 2-0 win at the Vitality. The mood was a little different this time last year.
And he got the fourth in that thrilling 4-2 win at Anfield on the opening night of this season after Federico Chiesa, who misses today’s game through injury, scored late on.
Bournemouth could hand a debut to the Hungary midfielder Alex Toth, who is on the bench after joining from Ferencvaros for £10.4m. this week.
You can track the latest transfer deals across Europe on our interactive page:
It is the same Liverpool back four that started against Marseille in midweek. Ibrahima Konaté remains on compassionate leave after the death of his father, so Virgil van Dijk is partnered by Joe Gomez again.
Jeremie Frimpong continues at right-back with Conor Bradley out long-term and Milos Kerkez starts ahead of Andy Robertson on his return to his former club.
Team news: Salah starts, Robertson on bench
Marcus Tavernier misses out for Bournemouth after he picked up a hamstring injury against Brighton on Monday. Adam Smith comes into the XI at right-back, with Álex Jiménez moving further forward.
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Smith, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Cook; Jiménez, Kroupi, Adli; Evanilson.
Subs: Forster, Christie, Diakite, Unal, Toth, Milosavljevic, Sadi, Rees-Dottin, DaCosta.
Mohamed Salah makes his first Premier League appearance since returning from Afcon, while Andy Robertson is on the Liverpool bench after Tottenham opened talks to sign him this week. Cody Gakpo leads the line in place of Hugo Ekitiké.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Gomez, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Gakpo.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Endo, Jones, Ekitiké, Robertson, Nyoni, Ramsay, Ngumoha.
Referee: Michael Salisbury (Lancashire)
Preamble
Hello and welcome. Wednesday’s trip to Marseille was a success for Liverpool. Bar one hell of a shock at home to Qarabag next week, Arne Slot’s team are on their way to the last 16 in Europe. At home, though, qualifying for next season’s Champions League is perhaps the best Liverpool can hope for. After a mini revival in December, the defending champions haven’t won a Premier League game in 2026 (four draws) and are therefore now looking over their shoulder.
Liverpool remain fourth in the table but just six points separate them and teams in the bottom half. Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle are in that pack and play tomorrow.
Bournemouth might have expected to be challenging for the European places after their fast start to the season but they’ve won just once since October and are seven points clear of the drop zone. Andoni Iraola is still getting to grips with the Antoine Semenyo-shaped hole in his team since the forward’s sale to Manchester City.
Kick-off at the Vitality Stadium is 5.30pm (GMT) and I’ll bring you team news shortly. Feel free to email in with your thoughts on the game.
