Liverpool trounce Bournemouth, return to top four
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ByEurosport
Updated 17/12/2017 at 18:54 GMT
Premier League, Vitality Stadium – Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 4 (Coutinho 20’ Lovren 26’ Salah 44’ Firmino 66’)
Liverpool players celebrate
Image credit: Getty Images
Mohamed Salah scored his 20th goal of the season as Liverpool returned to the top four with a resounding victory at Bournemouth.
The Reds had struggled in consecutive home draws with Everton and West Brom but were back to their devastating best at the Vitality Stadium as they coasted into a three-goal lead in the first half.
Philippe Coutinho broke the deadlock early on with a lovely solo effort and Dejan Lovren doubled the advantage with a rare goal shortly after. Salah had spurned a couple of decent opportunities earlier in the match but on the stroke of half time the Egyptian finally grabbed his landmark goal after a mazy run.
Liverpool extended their lead in the second period when Roberto Firmino glanced in Coutinho’s cross, allowing Jurgen Klopp to rest his key players ahead of a busy festive programme.
Jermain Defoe whacked the post in the first half but that was as close as Bournemouth came on a forgettable evening for the hosts.
The win moves Liverpool into fourth, a point ahead of Arsenal, while Bournemouth remain 16th, only two points ahead of the drop zone.
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Roberto Firmino celebrates with Mohamed Salah after scoring during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Liverpool on December 17, 2017
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT
A productive evening for free-scoring Reds: With a number of testing matches over the festive period, it was crucial Liverpool returned to winning ways to restore confidence ahead of difficult Premier League fixtures with Arsenal, Burnley and Manchester City as well as an FA Cup encounter with Everton. They did so with ease, but the Reds need to find a way to beat the more stubborn sides in the division.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool): The Egyptian has now netted 20 times in 25 games in all competitions - how many can he score between now and the end of the season?
PLAYER RATINGS
Bournemouth: Begovic 7, Francis 6, Ake 5, Daniels 6, Smith 6, Surman 6, Pugh 5, L. Cook 6, Ibe 7, King 5, Defoe 7. Subs: S.Cook 5, Stanislas 7, Fraser.
Liverpool: Mignolet 7, Gomez 7, Klavan 6, Lovren 7, Robertson 7, Wijnaldum 6, Oxlade-Chamberlain 8, Henderson 8, Coutinho 8, Salah 9, Firmino 8. Subs: Lallana 5, Ings 5, Solanke 5.
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Dejan Lovren v Joshua King
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY MOMENTS
20’ - GOAL! Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool (Coutinho). Coutinho breaks the deadlock with a lovely solo goal. He collects from Robertson's pass, drives forward, ghosting past a number of challenges before sliding the ball beyond Begovic at his near post.
26’ - GOAL! Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool (Lovren). Bournemouth fail to clear the corner delivery and Firmino keeps it alive by steering the ball into the centre and Lovren finishes with a lovely diving header.
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Dejan Lovren celebrates
Image credit: Getty Images
38’ - POST! Wijnaldum loses the ball in midfield and Bournemouth break. Defoe times his run to perfection to break Liverpool's offside trap and latch onto Stanislas' through ball, but sees his effort thump the foot of the post and bounce to safety.
42’ - CHANCE! Coutinho scoops a lovely pass into the path of Salah. The Egyptian only has the goalkeeper to beat from a few yards out but he strikes the ball straight at Begovic!
44’ - GOAL! Bournemouth 0-3 Liverpool (Salah). The Reds tighten their grip on the game as Salah bags his 20th of the season. The Egyptian makes amends for his miss a couple of minutes ago with a fine goal. He picks the ball on the wing from Oxlade-Chamberlains pass, he turns Daniels and slides the shot beyond Begovic.
66’ - GOAL! Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool (Firmino). And there it is, right on cue! Firmino glances in from Coutinho's cross and Liverpool are out of sight.
KEY STATS
- No side has scored more first-half Premier League goals this season than Liverpool (level with Man City with 19)
- Mohamed Salah is the first Premier League player to have scored 20 goals in all competitions this season.
- Liverpool are the first team in top-flight history to have won four consecutive away games by a margin of at least three goals.
- Bournemouth are winless in their last six league games (drawn three, lost three).
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last nine games in the Premier League (won six, drawn three) - their best run since an 11-match streak ended in November 2016.
- Jurgen Klopp has made 69 changes to Liverpool's starting line-up in this season's Premier League. Last season he only made a total of 54 changes to his starting side in the league all season.
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