Bournemouth 0 – 2 Liverpool

Liverpool established an ominous nine-point lead on the Premier League summit after Mohamed Salah’s double secured a hard-fought 2-0 win over Bournemouth on the Vitality Stadium.

Salah opened the scoring after half-hour from 12 yards after Lewis Prepare dinner tripped Cody Gakpo contained in the penalty space. It was the Egyptian’s 177th Premier League objective, going stage with sixth-placed Frank Lampard within the all-time prime scorers’ charts – and he surpassed the previous Chelsea midfielder with a stunning trademark end (75).

However the end result for Liverpool was barely overshadowed by Trent Alexander-Arnold being compelled off with a muscle harm in the course of the second half and he’s now a significant doubt for the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg in opposition to Tottenham on Thursday, stay on Sky Sports activities.

Arne Slot stated: “He requested me if he may come off after which he went down. He felt one thing, I can not inform you precisely what it’s as a result of it’s only now an hour after it occurred however it’s by no means a superb signal if the participant is asking for a substitution.

“I might be shocked if he performs on Thursday however let’s hope he’s again as quickly as potential.”

Justin Kluivert’s evident miss with the objective at his mercy halfway by means of the second interval proved crucial as Salah fantastically curled in his decisive second simply 4 minutes later to puncture the chasing pack’s hopes of a twist within the title race.

Antoine Semenyo went shut twice, rattling the publish earlier than drawing a wonderful save from Alisson, however the hosts have been unable to make it a quadruple of dwelling wins in opposition to the division’s top-four sides having prised the scalps of Arsenal, Manchester Metropolis and Nottingham Forest previous to Saturday’s showdown.

Slot’s table-toppers prolonged their unbeaten league run to twenty matches, whereas ending the Cherries’ 11-game unbeaten run within the course of as one other hurdle was overcome of their bid to be topped champions for less than the second time in 35 years.

The one desk that can matter to Slot, nevertheless, is the one which has Liverpool seemingly in an unassailable lead, with Arsenal needing to reply at dwelling to Manchester Metropolis on Sunday, stay on Sky Sports activities.

Slot continued: “It was the sport we anticipated. They’re so intense, they maintain operating and maintain preventing each second. I stated earlier than the sport, we have been 3-0 up at Anfield at half-time and so they saved going. We needed to play on the prime of our talents and wanted luck to win this recreation.

“They hit the bar or the publish two occasions and so they have been always attempting to drive issues. They’d different probabilities as nicely and I do not suppose we really managed the sport. It was an open and even recreation which everybody has right here, as a result of all of the groups wrestle right here.”

Processional really feel to Liverpool’s title cost now

Sky Sports activities’ Ben Grounds on the Vitality Stadium:

We at the moment are past the purpose the place essentially the most pertinent query regarding Liverpool is whether or not or not Slot’s dad thinks they’ve performed nicely.

The query of whether or not his facet will win the Premier League in his first season in cost can certainly now not be up for debate. They nonetheless have not performed anybody? Absolutely even essentially the most scarred and pessimistic Liverpudlian should now settle for that it’s a foregone conclusion.

The waning diploma of media consideration on the serenity of Slot is not going to concern those that crave the column inches. Even the chatter of Alexander-Arnold’s contract has fallen silent. Of higher concern instantly would be the severity of the muscle harm he sustained on the south coast.

Competitors, and the chase, is what neutrals need however it’s time to gloss over Liverpool till the inevitable trophy parade.

The very best staff within the league, with essentially the most full squad, the fewest accidents that matter and crucially the respect now of all their counterparts.

Iraola – like Thomas Frank a few weeks in the past – decreed they’re one of the best at school, certainly one of the best in Europe. His staff have been crushed for the primary time since November 23. It was all the time more likely to take a particular outfit to finish that spectacular sequence.

Champions League prime canine and now 9 factors clear at their home summit.

They’re nonetheless to face Everton twice however they’ll now afford to lose each video games and never be caught, such is their superior objective distinction to Arsenal.

A stumble would make good copy however you can’t decide at vulnerabilities that do not stack up in comparison with the problems amongst rivals. The hole, in fact, is just more likely to get wider.

Bournemouth crushed however removed from disgraced

Salah, as so usually throughout this glorious Liverpool season, was the distinction in securing his staff’s seventeenth win of their 23 video games, however alongside the best way Bournemouth put up an actual battle.

Issues didn’t go the house facet’s manner throughout a primary half by which they hit the publish, had a objective disallowed and fell behind following a contentious penalty award.

It was from a fast transition, the type at which Bournemouth have excelled this time period, that Liverpool received their spot-kick.

Gakpo appeared to have gotten away from Prepare dinner because the pair chased an extended ball into the field. The Liverpool participant tripped, although there was greater than a suggestion that he could have stumbled over his personal foot. VAR upheld Darren England’s on-field resolution, and from the spot Salah slipped the ball simply past the dive of Kepa.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola felt the choice went in opposition to his facet, making reference to the inconsistency that’s unavoidable throughout the course of a full marketing campaign.

“For me, in case you take this penalty, it will probably go each methods,” he contested. “It is in all probability a slight contact, I have never seen the play, however he journeys after a slight contact.

“Evanilson in opposition to Brentford, precisely the identical play. That one is extra clear. So I settle for, you name that one, you name this one, good. You do not name that one, you do not name this one, good. You do not name one and also you name the opposite, then I’ve to complain.”

A hairline VAR name denied David Brooks an equaliser, Milos Kerkez judged to have been fractionally offside earlier than his teammate lashed in what would have been an exquisite objective.

Substitute Marcus Tavernier got here inside a whisker of levelling, turning away cleverly from Andy Robertson earlier than opening his physique and sending an effort crashing in opposition to the within of the publish, with Kluivert leaning again to carry the rebound obviously over.

The Cherries have now hit the woodwork 16 occasions within the Premier League this season, the outright most of any facet. On such wonderful margins titles are received.

“We did not get the end result clearly, however I believe we gave us an opportunity,” Iraola added. “I believe we performed a high-level recreation.

“I believe the standard of the sport has been fairly excessive however in opposition to these prime groups I believe you want the small particulars to occur to your facet generally. We hit the publish. We hit the publish once more. The objective, simply millimetres disallowed.”

Participant of the match – Mohamed Salah

Liverpool ahead Mohamed Salah chatting with Sky Sports activities:

“It feels barely completely different however final season we have been the identical, the season earlier than we have been very shut. However we have to keep humble and take every recreation at a time and we do not have to suppose additional. Take into consideration every recreation.

“Scoring objectives and preserving on successful, it is an unbelievable feeling. However the primary goal is to win the Premier League with the staff. We’re transferring in the fitting course so let’s maintain going. Now it is time to chill out and luxuriate in.

“The defence is unbelievable. Alisson is aware of how good he’s for us. We have performed six or seven years collectively after which one or two in Rome. He works very arduous, I am completely satisfied for him.”

Excellent Salah – Opta stats

• Liverpool prolonged their unbeaten run within the league to 19 video games (W14 D5), whereas away from dwelling the Reds are unbeaten in 14 within the Premier League (W9 D5); solely from January 2019 to February 2020 (21) have that they had an extended run with out defeat on the highway within the competitors.
• Bournemouth suffered their first Premier League defeat since November in opposition to Brighton, ending their 11-game unbeaten run within the competitors (W7 D4). Certainly, the Cherries have solely misplaced two league video games by 2+ objectives this season – each of which have been to Liverpool (3-0 in September, 2-0 right this moment).
• Mohamed Salah scored the three hundredth and 301st objectives of his European membership profession in all competitions, 236 of which have come for Liverpool (20 Basel, 2 Chelsea, 9 Fiorentina, 34 Roma). The Egyptian additionally reached 20+ Premier League objectives in a single season for the fifth time (additionally 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, and 2021-22).
• Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has now scored 11 Premier League objectives in opposition to Bournemouth, the seventh facet he is scored 10+ in opposition to within the competitors. Solely Alan Shearer (12) has netted double figures in opposition to extra completely different opponents in Premier League historical past.

Story of the match in stats…

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