Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth PLAYER RATINGS: Who ‘had a cigar out’? Who ‘will have left the pitch fuming’? And which 7/10 star played the pass of the match?
Liverpool shot to the top of the table after the Reds scored three times in the first half to beat Bournemouth.
The Cherries took an aggressive approach in the first half and paid the price when Luis Diaz scored twice in two devastating minutes.
Darwin Nunez made the match unwinnable after just 37 minutes with an excellent goal into the bottom left corner.
Liverpool dominated the second period with great ease and continued to try and score in the fourth half, with Nunez and Mohamed Salah both coming close.
The defeat left Andoni Iraola’s side with five points from five games, while Arne Slot was able to spend the evening wallowing in the glory of sitting in pole position in the Premier League. Here, Mail Sport’s DOMINIC KING rates the best and worst performers from the clash at Anfield.
Liverpool shot to the top of the table as the Reds beat Bournemouth with three first-half goals
Luis Diaz scored two goals in two devastating minutes to give Liverpool an easy victory at Anfield
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1)
Caoimhin Kelleher – 7
He was a bit nervous at the start but his reliability is beyond doubt. One save in the second half was excellent, which shows that he has regained confidence.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7
Although he was not tested defensively, it was his attacking plays that caught the eye, not least the drive that gave Diaz the second goal.
Ibrahima Konate – 7 (Booked)
How happy they are with this great presence on The Kop and how happy they were with the ball he threw to Diaz that turned the tide.
Virgil van Dijk – 8
I had one of those afternoons when you could say he was ‘on a cigar’; he looked like a man in a boys’ race, always in second gear.
Andrew Robertson is consistent, tireless and without him Liverpool would be poorer
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s attacking moves caught the eye, not least because of the drive that gave Diaz the second goal
Andrew Robertson – 7
For some reason his form was questioned in the first few games. Nonsense. He is consistent, tireless and without him Liverpool would be poorer.
Ryan Gravenberch – 8
Didn’t even play, but spun. Sharp control, one touch passing, energy between the lines, became a great number 6.
Alexis Mac Allister – 7
Played the perfect pass of the game, a diving, swerving ball from 36 yards to Salah; the highlight of a fine and tidy performance.
Mohammed Salah – 6.5
Will left the field in anger because he had not joined in the action. He seemed to score, but his shot lacked the killer instinct.
Dominik Sbozoslai – 6.5
Had a hot afternoon in the defeat to Nottingham Forest but this was a step in the right direction. Not quite at top level yet but we’re getting there.
Mohamed Salah is said to have left the field in anger because he did not take part in the action
Dominik Szoboszlai significantly improved on his performance in the shock defeat to Forest
Luis Diaz – 8.5 (MOTM)
So quick were his goals that some senior Anfield regulars wondered if Robbie Fowler’s fastest hat-trick at this stadium was in danger. In a great groove.
Darwin Nunez – 8
A fantastic goal, a standing ovation and a hug from his manager as he left late in the game will have done wonders for his confidence.
Substitutes
Chiesa (for Diaz, 72) – 6.5
Gakpo (for Nunez, 72) – 6.5
Jones (for Sbozoszlai, 61) – 6
Not used: Joe Gomez, Diogo Jota, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Vítezslav Jaros, Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley.
Arne Slot will not have been impressed with some aspects of his team’s performance, but the Reds have bounced back admirably from the defeat to Nottingham Forest
Manager
Arne Slot – 7
Some aspects of the performance will not have impressed this perfectionist, but two wins in a week from Nottingham Forest was exactly what was needed. Liverpool were well coached.
BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1)
Kepa Arrizabalaga – 5
The foolish decision to charge out of his goal gave Diaz the opportunity to steamroll past him and change the game.
Milos Kerkez – 5
The pain Salah caused him became clear in injury time in the first half, when he tried to bring down the Egyptian.
Dean Huijsen – 5 (Booked)
Too often he saw a flood of Red Shirts coming towards him and he could not be held responsible for the abuse.
Kepa Arrizabalaga scored three at Anfield after joining Bournemouth from Chelsea in the summer
The torment Milos Kerkez endured at the hands of Salah became apparent in first-half injury time when he felt compelled to bring down the Egyptian
The happiest moment of Julian Araujo’s afternoon was when Liverpool’s coaching staff decided Diaz had run enough and he was withdrawn
Illia Zabarnyi – 5
Came up against a striker who wanted to cause chaos and from the moment Nunez got into the mood it looked like he was going to lose the battle.
Julian Araujo – 5
The best moment of the afternoon came when the Liverpool coaching staff decided Diaz had run enough and he was withdrawn.
Ryan Christie – 5 (Booked)
After a good start, Mac Allister and Gravenberch were not given any more chances and as soon as Bournemouth lost control of the midfield, it was all over.
Lewis Cook – 5 (booked)
His attitude is always excellent, as it should be as a captain, but Liverpool had set their standards and he was always inferior.
Marcus Tavernier – 6
He didn’t get to see the ball enough but kept pushing and his tenacity earned his team some good free kicks.
Justin Kluivert – 6 (Booked)
A flurry of good moments in the early stages, not least the meandering run and the cross-shot that Semenyo ‘converted’ but needed more assistance.
Antonie Semenyo – 6
His performance was very lively and if he had played his fifth minute a little later, the match would have looked very different.
Justin Kluivert had some good moments early on, not least the meandering run and the cross shot that Semenyo ‘converted’
Evanilson – 5
He was the most disappointing member of Bournemouth’s attack, the only thing that surprised him was that he lasted until the 76th minute.
Substitutes
Dango Ouattara (for Kluivert, 46)
Alex Scott (for Christie, 69)
Adam Smith (for Araujo, 70)
Luis Sinisterra (for Semenyo, 70)
Enes Ünal (for Evanilson, 76)
Not used: Marcos Senesi, David Brooks, James Hill and Mark Travers.
Evanilson was the most disappointing member of Bournemouth’s attack, the only surprise being that he managed to stay until the 76th minute
Manager
Andoni Iraola – 5
There is no doubt that his team is adventurous and a sight to behold when everything falls into place, but everyone in the stadium saw their vulnerabilities and he never said anything about it.
Referee
Tony Harrington – 6.5
Everything was spot on, nothing was a problem for him. What a joy it was to play a game without the referee watching him.