Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool: Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez braces see Reds boost their title bid as Jurgen Klopp’s side stretch lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points
The building blocks of any title challenge are laid on nasty midwinter days like this, with the wind swirling and rain pouring down on teams stretched to their limits by injuries and absences, but Liverpool refused to be blown off course.
Jurgen Klopp’s side rose to the challenge in the first half as they struggled to find any rhythm, sailing away after the break with two goals each from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota.
Nunez loves Dorset in a storm. In November he scored a brilliant winning goal in a Carabao Cup match at the Vitality Stadium on a night as Storm Ciaran ravaged the south coast. Here, with Storm Isha approaching, his goal set Liverpool on the path to victory.
Bournemouth made an equally confident start, coming into the match with seven wins in their previous nine games, but Liverpool survived and soon took control. Alexis Mac Allister spun on the ball in midfield, but it was difficult to create clear chances.
Mac Allister went one effort wide from 25 yards midway through the first half, and Neto made routine saves as Nunez and Luis Diaz cut in from the flanks and aimed from a similar distance.
Diogo Jota scored twice as Liverpool ran riot on the south coast to beat Bournemouth 4-0
Darwin Nunez (right) also scored a brace as Liverpool extended their lead on the table
It was a nail-biting night for Bournemouth, but they know they have a winnable draw on the horizon
Liverpool appear to be the biggest threat to Manchester City to retain the Premier League title
Nunez set Liverpool off by intervening and firing back at home fans who had taunted him
The main talking point of the first half, however, was a high tackle by Justin Kluivert on Diaz. In the middle of a messy match, it didn’t look particularly out of place in real time, but Diaz stayed down, rolled around and shook his fingers until the game came to a halt.
In slow motion it looked worse, as always, but Kluivert escaped without a card. Klopp could not resist having his say in the ear of fourth official Graham Scott, no doubt referring to the red card for Curtis Jones after a similar challenge at Tottenham on a day when Liverpool finished with nine men and for the only time in the Premier League has lost , so far this season.
Klopp can hardly afford to lose any more players. No Premier League team is currently without injuries and absences on international duty, although Liverpool can claim to be missing two of their most influential players: Mo Salah, away at the Africa Cup of Nations, and the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Conor Bradley came in and impressed on his Premier League debut at right-back. Bradley was solid in the first half and more adventurous after the break, as the visitors played with a greater sense of purpose.
Klopp adjusted his front line for the second half, with Nunez moving from the left to the centre, Diaz from the right to the left and Jota moving from a central role to the right wing, and the change brought immediate reward.
Curtis Jones and Jota combined to create the chance for Nunez and he finished it coolly. It was only his second goal since scoring here in November and it created a raft of chances for the visitors.
Bradley jumped high at the back post to head across goal and saw a shot saved by Neto. Jota wanted a penalty when he stumbled under a challenge from Illia Zabarnyi as he drove into the penalty area.
Perhaps with some justification, referee Andrew Madley decided that Jota was determined to simply cross the line and fall. There was contact, but probably not enough for VAR to intervene.
It was all smiles for Jurgen Klopp as everything seemed to be going well for his side on Sunday
There was anger in the Liverpool camp in the first half after a nasty challenge on Luis Diaz
Klopp sought an explanation after Justin Kluivert was not sent off the field by match officials
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola had his own complaints during the match as his side faltered
Jota responded with two goals to make Liverpool clear. For his first, Nunez won a high ball and Cody Gakpo, coming at Diaz, picked it up and rolled it into the path of Jota, who arrived with an angled run and smashed it low into the net off the post.
His second brought a bit of happiness. Jota missed his initial attempt, first after a low cross from Bradley.
The ball spun, confusing the Bournemouth defenders and Jota finished with the half-volley as it came back to earth.
David Brooks went close for the home side before Nunez added to Liverpool’s fourth in stoppage time, converting a cross from Joe Gomez, who finished the game at right-back, with a classy finish with the outside of his right foot.