Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of today’s Premier League clash between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have to settle for the hum-drum of league action today, after living through a week of scintillating, heart-stopping Champions League action which has seen them through to the final four for the first time in a decade.
Despite going a goal down at the Etihad on Tuesday, the Reds overcame Premier League leaders Man City thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino. Yesterday’s draw has pitted them against AS Roma in the semi-finals, with Liverpool fans now daring to dream of a sixth European Cup.
Despite their immense success in the competition this year, however, Liverpool have not mathematically guaranteed their place in the Champions League next season. It’s all but secured, but there is still a way to go.
Chelsea’s dramatic 3-2 win against Southampton means they are not out of the running just yet, despite hanging on by a thread. Were Tottenham to upset Manchester City later this evening, Spurs would overtake Liverpool into third spot.
That leaves Klopp’s Reds in fourth, seven points above and beyond Chelsea. A win today brings them closer to securing their place in the top four, so there is plenty at stake against the Cherries here today.
Now the, let’s get started with the team news…
🚨 TEAM NEWS 🚨
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) April 14, 2018
🔘 Joshua King is in from the off
🔘 Jordon Ibe returns
Listen live 📻 https://t.co/ja36JIZIwr#LIVBOU | #afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/7muWmE00lZ
📋 Here's your #LFC side to face @afcbournemouth this afternoon... pic.twitter.com/BT4kCtriaS
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 14, 2018
So, today’s teams are:
Liverpool: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs: Mignolet, Milner, Klavan, Moreno, Woodburn, Ings, Solanke.
Bournemouth: Begovic; Francis, S Cook, Ake, Daniels; Frasier, L Cook, Gosling, Ibe; King; Defoe.
Subs: Boruc, B Smith, Simpson, Surman, Pugh, Wilson, Mousset.
Today’s match programme marks the 29th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.
A beautiful afternoon at Anfield for this today’s action. Just under 40 minutes to go before we get underway.
Right, with 20 minutes to go before kick-off how do we see this one going? Let us know below!
Poll Results:
Just a matter of moments to go now as both sets of teams emerge out onto the pitch, You’ll Never Walk Alone reverberating around Anfield in the background to set the tone.
The two teams are out on the pitch and we're all set for kick off here at Anfield!
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) April 14, 2018
Let's get it, lads! 👏#LIVBOU | #afcb 🍒
Kick-off: We’re underway at Anfield!
CHANCE! Liverpool with some exceptional early link-up play right from the off here. Some snappy passes between Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah caused panic, before the ball fell on the right wing towards Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The 19-year-old picked out Salah with a smart cross inside the penalty area, however the forward’s effort was stabbed just narrowly wide of the bottom corner. A promisingly start for the hosts here.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 1-0 BOURNEMOUTH (MANE 7)
MAAANNEEEE! GOOOOAAAAALL!
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 14, 2018
1-0#LIVBOU pic.twitter.com/bnnLSIhDpm
Andddddd we have liftoff at Anfield! Sadio Mane prods home at the second time of asking inside the box for his 17th goal of the season in all competitions.
Asmir Begovic did so well to get down low and save Mane’s initial free header inside the penalty area, however Bournemouth’s sleeping defence did not have the awareness to get to the ball first and clear it away.
The Liverpool forward picked out a free corner in the net and swept the ball flying into the back of the net. 1-0 after just seven minutes.
GOAL Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth (7 mins)
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 14, 2018
A fine ball in from Henderson picks out Sadio Mane, who pokes home after seeing his header parried by Begovic#LIVBOU
It really has been all Liverpool after the opening 10 minutes. Eddie Howe’s side haven’t mustered a chance or even looked like doing so. Any hope of Jurgen Klopp’s side taking their foot ever so slightly off the peddle looks very unlikely.
Sadio Mane with a chance to double his side’s lead, and his own personal tally too. He is played clean through one on one with Begovic before two crucial setbacks — a fine save from the goalkeeper diving low to his left… and the referee blowing up play for offside soon after.
Another chance for the hosts, this time from a free-kick 30 yards out from goal. Alexander-Arnold takes command of the set piece, but his curled effort on his right boot is easily batted away by Begovic, this time diving to his right.
It was an accurate kick from the young defender, but it had no power behind it whatsoever.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 14, 2018
Bournemouth with a chance for a chance… but a foul is blown up. The corner swung in was punched away initially by Loris Karius, before former Liverpool man Jordan Ibe was flagged for a push from behind on Mane just outside the box.
Another chance for Mane, who really seems to be at the centre of everything at the moment. He takes possession from Georginio Wijnaldum outside the box, but the ball is on his weaker left foot.
Regardless, the Senegalese international tries his luck — but his shot flies just wide of the bottom corner.
Bournemouth have the ball in the back of Karius’ net, but it won’t count.
A fine, quick routine right off the training ground saw Ryan Fraser and Charlie Daniels link-up, however the Jermain Defoe is flagged for offside after slipping in a fine finish at the front post to cap off the move.
At the other end Salah pounces on a stray pass before bearing down on goal menacingly. Rather than pick out the move of team-mate Mane, he goes at it alone. Salah sizes up a shot from 20 yards on his left foot — but blasts over Begovic’s crossbar.
And another chance for Liverpool.
Andy Robertson did really well to head the ball back across goal, but the move peters out with no-one on hand to prod the ball home.
It was fine athleticism from Robertson to meet the high cross — indeed very similar to Cristiano Ronaldo’s header across goal to set Lucas Vázquez on his way to be fouled for that infamous penalty against Juventus. It… it was a penalty wasn’t it? Just don’t ask Buffon.
Pictured: Sadio Mane scores at the second time of asking against Asmir Begovic after seven minutes.
A flurry of shots fly wide for Klopp’s side. Salah first — who has been uncharacteristically off his game so far this afternoon — and then Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who also blasted wide of the post with a snapshot from distance. This almost feels like one-way shooting practice.
Bournemouth offering very little going forward so far and are really, really struggling to even get on the ball to begin with. You get the feeling that Howe would be satisfied to get his troops into the changing room at half-time at 1-0 if they stand any chance of forcing a result in the second half. Can they hold out until then and not concede another?
Again, it's the home side doing the majority of the pressing, but our back line are standing strong as we approach the interval.#LIVBOU 🔴 1-0 🍒 (40)
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) April 14, 2018
Live blog ➡️ https://t.co/3hpCCSRCxu pic.twitter.com/qWW9Ko2tmV
Late shouts for a penalty now, as Alexander-Arnold’s cross from the right bounces back off defender Simon Francis awkwardly. Referee Chris Kavanagh shows little interest in the incident and waves play on.
HALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 1-0 BOURNEMOUTH
A dominant display from the Reds in the first 45 🔴#LIVBOU pic.twitter.com/C3Jj1YQLhH
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 14, 2018
Second-half: We’re back underway for another 45 minutes!
The big stat at the break which seems to have taken everyone by surprise is the fact that Jermain Defoe had just three touches inside the first half — and one of those was the tip-off. Sums up his side’s efforts, really. They will be hoping for better now.
Just one goal in the difference, remember. Liverpool aren’t out of reach for Eddie Howe’s Cherries just yet.
Both sides enjoying chances in a more evenly-balanced second period so far. Salah comes closest to teeing up a team-mate to double Liverpool’s lead. The Premier League’s top scorer had the chance to shoot on sight himself, but attempted to square the ball from close range to another body in red… alas to no avail.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Jordan Ibe. The midfielder slid in late and is punished accordingly by referee Kavanagh.
Liverpool have enjoyed 67% of possession so far today — boasting 11 shots to Bournemouth’s one, with just under an hour played. The latest sees Virgil van Dijk attempt an unholy effort from all of 35 yards. He hit it very cleanly vying for his second Liverpool goal, but because the Dutch captain was leaning back it elevates his effort over the crossbar.
56: Terrific strike from @VirgilvDijk! However, the shot rises over the crossbar. #AFCB make a change; Ibe is replaced by Mousset.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 14, 2018
[1-0]#LIVBOU ➡️ https://t.co/wZSFgytFga pic.twitter.com/3cn65ADGdL
Substitution for Bournemouth: Lys Mousset replaces Jordan Ibe.
Our first change of the evening...
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) April 14, 2018
🔛 Mousset
↩️ Ibe#LIVBOU 🔴 1-0 🍒 (58) pic.twitter.com/aiDdVCeGxi
Lovely, lovely link-up play between Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah there. A neat header from the Brazilian finds his team-mate, before Salah pushes possession onto Sadio Mane. He can’t find space to release a shot, and the move peters out. The game has slowed down quite a bit, as Liverpool seem happily content with their one goal lead.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 2-0 BOURNEMOUTH (SALAH 69)
GOOOOAAAALLLLLL! SAAAALLLAAAHHHHHH!
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 14, 2018
2-0#LIVBOU pic.twitter.com/P8CThbP7iR
What a finish! Mohamed Salah with a stupendous header which dips over Asmir Begovic — the goalkeeper didn’t stand a chance! That should be all three points for Liverpool, and it’s 30 Premier League goals for Salah this season. Incredible.
His 30th Premier League goal of the season and his 40th in all competitions — Mohamed Salah simply defies description this year. He worked his way into the box with a slow-paced run, but the wow-factor with this latest goal comes with the fact he wasn’t even looking at goal when he struck it.
The Egyptian simply saw Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross floating towards him, judged the ball’s flight and trajectory perfectly and nodded a header lobbing into the top corner beyond the fingertips of Begovic. Sublime skill.
Mohamed Salah is the first African player in history to score 30 goals in a single Premier League season.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) April 14, 2018
The King of Egypt. 👑🇪🇬 pic.twitter.com/G2J6jOQd4H
Salah becomes the first Liverpool player since Ian Rush in 1986-87 to break the 40-goal mark in a single season. It's an incredible feat that Fowler, Owen, Torres and Luis Suarez never achieved during their time at #LFC -- never mind in their first season.
— Glenn Price (@GlennPrice94) April 14, 2018
It really should be 3-0 now. Roberto Firmino did so well to take possession inside the box, cut inside to throw his marker away and create a pocket of space to unleash his shot — but the forward overran the play and only managed a weak left-footed shot at goal which was comfortably hoofed clear off the line by Nathan Ake.
Substitution for Liverpool: James Milner replaces Sadio Mane.
77: @JamesMilner is introduced and replaces Mane. Moments later, @Alex_OxChambo races forward but his cross is too far for Salah.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 14, 2018
[2-0]#LIVBOU ➡️ https://t.co/wZSFgytFga pic.twitter.com/zV2vLOqBaV
Save! An excellent save from Karius denies Dan Gosling. Simon Francis’ cross into the box from the right caused panic after it wasn’t cleared at the first attempt — the ball fell to Gosling for a free go at goal, but the German got down just in time to bat it away from close range. Bournemouth so close to halving the deficit with about ten minutes remaining here.
Again so very nearly a third for Liverpool. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain shoots from distance and it flies just wide. It was almost a carbon-copy distance to the one he scored against Manchester City at Anfield just a matter of weeks ago, so he had every right to try and replicate it.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 3-0 BOURNEMOUTH (FIRMINO 90)
GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL! BOOOBBBYYYYYY!
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 14, 2018
[3-0] pic.twitter.com/qSvuruabRb
But it is 3-0 after all! Roberto Firmino carves out a pocket of space inside the box, shoots the ball between his marker’s legs and parks it into Asmir Begovic’s bottom corner. Game, set and match with three minutes stoppage time to go.
FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 3-0 BOURNEMOUTH
Magnificent Mo Salah scores his 30th #PL goal of the season on a comfortable evening for Liverpool #LIVBOU pic.twitter.com/duE59ijIlQ
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 14, 2018
Three goals.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 14, 2018
Clean sheet.
Three points. #LIVBOU pic.twitter.com/ghReouW4sa
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