Liverpool are back to winning ways and, after the most disappointing of starts to the Premier League season, they bounced back in record-breaking style at Anfield on Saturday.
AFC Bournemouth were the unlucky visitors on the receiving end of the Reds’ record Premier League win as they ran out emphatic 9-0 winners. In truth, it could so easily have been more.
Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott had Jurgen Klopp ’s side 2-0 up inside just six minutes, before goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk made it a five-goal lead at the break. A Chris Mepham own goal made it six shortly after the restart before the South American pair sandwiched Fabio Carvalho’s maiden Liverpool goal as they both claimed braces.
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For Firmino in particular it was a day to remember as the Brazilian wracked up his 100th Reds goals, and also claimed a hat-trick of assists, making a mockery of recent criticism he has faced.
But you already know all that, having inevitably watched the highlights on loop since yesterday evening. In contrast, here’s some of the moments you might have missed…
O captain, my captain!
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been an incredible ambassador for the city over the past decade and such attributes were on show again at Anfield on Saturday as he paid tribute to murdered school girl Olivia Pratt-Korbel. Revealing an undershirt donning the message, ‘RIP Olivia YNWA’, he also dedicated the win to the nine-year-old on social media after the game.
His leadership skills were also on show during the 90 minutes, with the Reds skipper wasting no time in offering some words of wisdom to Fabio Carvalho before the restart after the Portugal Under-21s international replaced Harvey Elliott at half-time. They clearly had the desired effect with the 19-year-old again impressing and scoring his first goal for the club with a well-taken volley in front of the Kop.
Meanwhile, James Milner was introduced as a substitute midway through the second half alongside Kostas Tsimikas and Stefan Bajcetic. With the 17-year-old coming on for his professional debut, the Liverpool vice-captain took a moment out from his own final stretches to put his arm around the young Spaniard and help ease his nerves.
A lot has been said of the Reds’ ageing midfield this week, in juxtaposition to Klopp belatedly changing transfer stance and admitting he will look to strengthen his engine-room before Thursday’s transfer deadline. While Henderson and Milner could be fall-guys as a result of any potential signing, they continue to prove their worth to the club time and time again.
‘We want 10!”
Having failed to win any of their three opening matches, and losing last time out to Manchester United, a Liverpool response was very much needed when they hosted Bournemouth. A record-equalling Premier League victory certainly did the trick.
Yet that wasn’t enough for Reds fans who had grown understandably anxious and frustrated by their side’s start to the campaign, wondering if their title-challenge would be ended as early as August.
As soon as Luis Diaz’s header hit the back of the net for Liverpool’s ninth goal of the afternoon in the 85th minute, the Kop’s roar of jubilation was soon replaced by chants of, “We want 10!” Such jovial calls would be left unanswered, though not through lack of trying, as the Reds continued to attack until the final whistle.
Klopp says no
Witnessing your side win 9-0, it would have been easy for Jurgen Klopp to have gotten caught up in the moment. And that’s even without considering his side’s start to the season.
Yet despite urging supporters to go out and celebrate in his post-match press conference, declaring the bank holiday a ‘perfect weekend’, he also wasn’t getting carried away at Anfield after the final whistle.
Unsurprisingly, the Kop encouraged him to race towards them and celebrate with his trademark bumps. On this occasion, he resisted, wiggling his finger at them in rejection before retreating down the tunnel.
Whether it was out of respect for Bournemouth or simply the knowledge that his side still have plenty of work to do, sitting eighth in the table and trailing Man City by five points and league-leaders Arsenal by seven points, Klopp knows his side have bigger fish to fry.
Mixed zone moments
Considering Liverpool scored nine goals against Bournemouth, it is quite a strange scenario where you consider Mohamed Salah was not directly involved in any of the Reds’ goals.
On another day the Egyptian King could have had a hat-trick, twice missing sitters from close-range while also being denied by a fine save from Mark Travers in the first half. Meanwhile, two of his attempted deliveries did inadvertently lead to converted chances at least for Diaz and Firmino.
Yet such a fact was not lost on Salah as he walked through the mixed zone after the game. Asked if he’d stop for a quick interview, the forward politely declined with a beaming smile on his face.
“No,” he chuckled cheekily. “I didn’t score any!” prompting laughter from the disappointed journalists.
While he might have been teasing, deep down Salah will have also been frustrated deep down to not have directly been involved in any goals. And not just because his new contract rewards him considerably for goals and assists.
On an afternoon where Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick for Man City, Salah already trails by four goals in the race for the Premier League golden boot. Meanwhile, Diaz's brace means he's not even Liverpool's top scorer this season. It's not just the Reds who have some catching up to do.
Elsewhere in the mixed zone, Klopp also had some catching up to do as he called out to former Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke before jogging after the forward. Having left the Reds for Bournemouth in January 2019, the striker came on at half-time at Anfield but inevitably was given little chance to alter the scoring.
The one-time England international might have only been at Liverpool for 18 months, but Klopp again showed why he was one of the best man-managers in the business by searching out his former striker to offer him some words of encouragement and see how he’s getting on down on the South Coast.
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