It’s the Premier League, and it’s live!!
Jurgen Klopp’s men are up for the 12.30pm kick-off as they host a Bournemouth side who are fighting to avoid relegation.
Liverpool are without goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who has picked up a hip injury, as they seek to get back on track after losing out to Watford, and go an incredible 25 points clear at the top of the table.
We’ll have team news for you in the next few moments as we edge towards kick-off at Anfield.
Here’s how Liverpool will line out:
Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Milner; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Mane, Firmino, Salah.
And here’s Bournemouth’s team:
Ramsdale; Stacey, S Cook, Ake, Smith,; Billing, Lerma, L Cook; Stanislas, C Wilson, Fraser.
The atmosphere is building at Anfield
The teams are out on the pitch. We’re almost ready to go!
Kick-off! Liverpool 0-0 Bournemouth
Liverpool 0-0 Bournemouth
Early chance there for Salah but Ramsdale comes out to avert the danger.
5 mins: Liverpool 0-0 Bournemouth
Alexander-Arnold tries to drill the ball across the Bournemouth penalty area but Nathan Ake gets a boot to it to clear it away.
Oxlade-Chamberlain then tries a booming cross from the same wing which somehow manages to stay in play, but Liverpool fail to make anything of the opportunity.
The visitors are already under pressure in the opening minutes.
Liverpool 0-0 Bournemouth
CLOSE!!
Salah, as usual, is getting himself into dangerous positions for a goal. Alexander-Arnold links up with Oxlade-Chamberlain as the ball is floated in towards Salah in the box.
Bournemouth survive, but the flag is up anyway so it wouldn’t have counted.
Still, Liverpool are pressing forward and it seems like it’s just a matter of time.
GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Bournemouth (Wilson ’9)
What a twist?
After some unrelenting pressure from Liverpool in the opening minutes, it’s Bournemouth who lead through a Callum Wilson tap-in.
It was against the run of play as Billing fed the ball to Lerma at the edge of the area. He then slipped the ball across to Wilson to apply the finish.
Wilson pushed Gomez in the back but after consulting VAR, the goal still stands.
17 mins: Liverpool 0-1 Bournemouth
SAVE!
What a stop from Ramsdale to deny Firmino, who unleashed a bullet of a volley from close range.
Moments before that. Ake tried to slip in to try and double Bournemouth’s lead but it didn’t come off as Adrian got out in time to stop the attack.
It’s all drama at Anfield and we haven’t even gone past the 20-minute mark yet.
22 mins: Liverpool 0-1 Bournemouth
Wijnaldum hits the deck clutching his face after a mid-air collision with Ake as the Bournemouth player tried to head the ball clear from a corner.
It was accidental but it looks like the Liverpool man is coming off to receive more treatment.
Gomez then tries to send in a free-kick to Virgil van Dijk but there’s too much power behind the kick.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Bournemouth (Salah ’24)
Liverpool are back on track and guess who?
Sadio Mane robs possession off Simpson to set-up a counter-attack. He feeds the ball across to Salah, but the pass is a bit behind the Egypt international.
It doesn’t matter though as Salah tucks his shot past Ramsdale and into the corner to grab the equaliser.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth (Mane ’32)
Less than 10 minutes after levelling proceedings, they’re now in front at Anfield.
And it’s Mane who gets the goal, after setting up Salah for Liverpool’s opener. Van Dijk sends him through into acres of space and he curls a shot into the bottom corner.
Liverpool can breathe again after that shaky start.
41 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Stanislas tries his luck from distance with a thundering shot, but Adrian is equal to the effort and nothing comes of the resultant corner.
Liverpool try and launch a counter attack but they lose control of possession.
45 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Four minutes of added time to be played at the end of the first half as the ball touches off Alexander-Arnold for a Bournemouth corner.
Half-Time: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
After conceding an early goal, Liverpool will be happy to be in front and looking comfortable at the break.
Callum Wilson gave them a shock with a goal after five minutes but Liverpool quickly recovered with goals from Salah and Mane less than 10 minutes apart.
Some first-half highlights
45 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
The second half is underway at Anfield.
49 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Oxlade-Chamberlain lets one fly from 25 yards but Ake gets in the way. There’s not the same zip in play that we saw in the opening stages of the first half. Liverpool are probably happy to play things out at a more pedestrian pace.
53 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Some good link play between Milner and Mane out wide. They try to bring the play back towards the Bournemouth goal as Firmino gets involved.
But the Brazilian is over eager with his tackling technique and ends up giving away a free.
64 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
CLOSE!
Bournemouth almost got in for an equaliser twice there. Fraser is first up as he gets to the ball ahead of Adrian and attempts to lob the keeper.
But Milner manages to get back and boot the ball away on the goal line.
Ake tries to finish the job shortly after. Stanislas crosses the ball in but Adrian gets his hand to the ball before Ake to punch it away from danger.
Very nervy few minutes for Liverpool there.
67 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
It’s Ramsdale’s turn to protect his goals as van Dijk jumps highest to head the ball low from an Alexander-Arnold corner.
But the Bournemouth keeper reacts well to get down and gather possession.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth are making a change as Solanke comes on for Stanislas.
72 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
POST!!
Mane tries an audacious effort from outside the box. There’s plenty of lovely dip on the shot but the ball crashes back into play from the post.
What a goal that would have been.
Just before that, Firmino tried to slam the ball into the corner from a tight angle, but his powerful effort flew past the face of goal with Mane at the back post.
76 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
SAVE!
Liverpool are relentless. Milner is trying to get his name on the score sheet now as he tries to cut the ball back after taking a pass from Salah.
But Ramsdale blocks the ball away for a corner. Salah is in typically rampant form and seems to have taken over the corner-taking duties as well.
80 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Oxlade-Chamberlain winds up a long-range shot but his effort is limp and goes well wide of the target.
Meanwhile, there’s another substitution for Bournemouth as Gosling comes on for Lerma.
85 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Worrying scene here as Bournemouth’s Billing looks to be in a lot of pain as he limps off the pitch. A stretcher had been called but he managed to get on his feet and make his way off the field.
Liverpool change: Adam Lallana replaces Oxlade-Chamberlain
87 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Van Dijk launches in a long-range pass to try and link up with Mane but they fail to connect as the Sengeal international gets tangled up with Bournemouth’s Stacey.
Ramsdale picks up the leftovers to start another attack but it looks like Liverpool are home and hosed at this late stage of the game.
90 mins: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
CLOSE!!
The commentators curse almost got me there. A Bournemouth free comes to Ake in space. He feeds the ball to Wilson with the goal wide open in front of him.
But he steps on the ball and fluffs the chance to poke the ball home. The flag goes up anyway but that could have been an incredible end to the game.
Up the other end, Firmino misses a golden chance to put the bed to bed but his effort goes skyward.
Four minutes of added time to be played before the end at Anfield.
Full-Time: Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Done and dusted!
They were leading at half-time and they’re ahead at the final whistle.
Liverpool extend their lead again at the top of the table and take another step towards Premier League glory.
That early Callum Wilson goal seems like a long time ago now as Liverpool struck back twice through Salah and Mane to ultimately secure the win.
Well that’s all from us, folks. Stick around for the match report from Anfield, which will be coming your way in the next few minutes.
Until next time, bye for now!
Some images from the second half to see you off
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