Liverpool pass 'tough challenge' with flying colours

Four of the top five sides in the Premier League table have come unstuck against Bournemouth, but Liverpool underlined their title credentials by passing this tricky test with flying colours.

Nine points clear after 23 matches, with 15 games to go, Liverpool are leading the way as they push to become English champions for a 20th time.

But they had to battle hard to secure a 2-0 victory at Vitality Stadium on Saturday, thanks to two goals from Mohamed Salah – a first-half penalty and then a brilliant curled effort to double their advantage.

Boss Arne Slot refused to indulge in any talk of whether this was the sort of result that wins titles, but the way he and his coaching staff celebrated highlighted how important these latest three points were.

Bournemouth had already beaten Arsenal and Manchester City at home this season and came into this match as one of the Premier League's in-form teams with an 11-game unbeaten run, thrashing Newcastle 4-1 at St James' Park on 18 January and crushing Nottingham Forest 5-0 seven days later.

And the Cherries gave Liverpool a real fright.

'Having Salah definitely helps in a game like this'

Mohamed Salah is the top scorer in the Premier League with 21 goals in 23 games

"Only a few [opponents] have been as tough as this," said Slot, who will see his side's lead cut back to six points on Sunday if second-placed Arsenal win at home against Manchester City.

The Cherries hit the post twice, through Antoine Semenyo and Marcus Tavernier, and thought they had made it 1-1 when David Brooks put the ball in the net, only for a tight offside call to rule it out.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson also did superbly to make a vital save with his legs to deny Semenyo when the game was in the balance at 1-0, while Slot was quick to praise his side's defensive efforts.

"If you want to have any chance, you have to compete in terms of running, fighting, winning duels and that's what the players did," he said. "Having Mo Salah definitely helps in a game like this.

"You need a team performance, a work rate and individual quality. I want them to fight from the first to last second to get the maximum results - that's what you need to do to have any chance in this league.

"This team [Bournemouth] has done so well in picking up these points against so many good teams and it's not by luck. They are intense, they have quality and it was always going to be very hard."

Relentless Liverpool continue to impress

Liverpool have only lost three matches in all competitions in Arne Slot's 36 games in charge

Liverpool are still progressing nicely in all competitions. They finished top in the league phase of the Champions League to jump into the last 16, are in the fourth round of the FA Cup and on Thursday entertain Tottenham in the Carabao Cup, looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit after the first leg of their semi-final and get to Wembley.

In an interview with Football Focus on Saturday, Slot, who became Reds manager last summer following Jurgen Klopp's departure, said he could not have expected to have such a lead.

Slot knows what it is like to win a championship, having won the Dutch Eredivisie with Feyenoord and, worryingly for Liverpool's title rivals, the Reds are not showing any signs of slipping up.

This latest win extends their unbeaten league run to 19, since they were beaten 1-0 at home by Forest on 14 September.

"It was a battle, but I knew it would be," added Slot. "All the points we have got, we have deserved them."

Goalkeeper Alisson hailed his side's mental strength and said: "It's a great result away from home. We showed great desire, mentality and great quality.

"Bournemouth are really intense. They are top for running, intensity - the way they play, they're aggressive. You have to be focused and really sharp in every situation.

"This intensity takes a lot of energy to win these games. The Premier League is a high standard this season."

But with less than four months to go, Liverpool remain the standard setters and will take some stopping if they are to not win their first title in five seasons.