Liverpool heartened and perplexed Anfield in equal measure. Jürgen Klopp’s side registered their first win of the new campaign with a vibrant comeback against Bournemouth, even after being reduced to ten men, but the recovery was only necessary due to a calamitous opening against Andoni Iraola’s visitors. Defensive concerns continue to accompany Liverpool’s prodigious attacking strengths.
Dominik Szoboszlai shone on his Anfield debut but fellow summer signing Alexis Mac Allister was sent off on his first home start for Liverpool and will miss next Sunday’s visit to Newcastle as a consequence. Goals from Luis Díaz, Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota made the scoreline respectable for Klopp’s team but victory was a gruelling effort.
With a different manager, new players and fresh approach Bournemouth were unrecognisable from the team humiliated 9-0 in Scott Parker’s final game as manager here 12 months ago and fully deserving of an early lead. It helped that their relentless pressing met a woeful defensive response from Liverpool.
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The hosts started with only two new faces, Mac Allister and the gifted Szoboszlai, but the rapport of complete strangers. Miscommunication littered Liverpool’s first steps of a new home season. Only 53 seconds had elapsed when Trent Alexander-Arnold turned Marcos Senesi’s searching pass out of defence towards Jaidon Anthony past the on-rushing Alisson. Anthony gratefully rolled the loose ball into an empty Kop goal but the visitors’ celebrations were curtailed by a close offside call against the goalscorer. Liverpool, and Alexander-Arnold in particular, failed to heed the warning.
Less than two minutes later the Liverpool right back was easily dispossessed by Philip Billing after receiving Virgil van Dijk’s pass in midfield. The destructive Billing released Dominic Solanke into the area and, though Andy Robertson was able to block the former Liverpool forward’s shot, Antoine Semenyo followed up to lash the loose ball beyond Alisson. Semenyo unsettled the Liverpool defence with his power and pace all afternoon. The Liverpool goalkeeper, meanwhile, produced another calamity when stumbling on a Van Dijk pass outside his penalty box and playing in Anthony. Alisson tripped the left winger as he advanced on goal and was only spared a possible ninth-minute red card because of Ibrahima Konaté covering behind.
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