Liverpool score twice late on to win after Bournemouth fightback

At a glance

  • Liverpool fans pay tribute to Diogo Jota before and during victory

  • Referee halts game after Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo reports being racially abused by someone in crowd

  • Semenyo scores twice to put Bournemouth level before late flurry from hosts

  • PLAYER RATINGS

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer at Anfield

Liverpool struck twice late on as they opened the defence of their Premier League title with a dramatic victory over Bournemouth on an emotional night at Anfield.

Tributes were paid before and during the game to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a car crash in July, with a minute's silence observed before kick-off and applause in the 20th minute - the forward having worn Liverpool's number 20 jersey.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot gave first Premier League starts to four of his summer recruits, and it was Hugo Ekitike - a £70m signing from Eintracht Frankfurt - who broke Bournemouth's stubborn resistance with a composed finish eight minutes before the break.

And when Ekitike turned provider to set up Cody Gakpo for a second four minutes after the break, Liverpool looked on course for a comfortable victory.

Referee Anthony Taylor stopped play in the first half when Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo reported that he had been racially abused by a member of the crowd.

And it was Semenyo, showing great character and resolve, who put Bournemouth back in contention when he pulled a goal back from close range after 64 minutes, before crowning a swift break with the equaliser 14 minutes from time.

The Cherries looked set to snatch a point until the unlikely figure of Federico Chiesa steered home his first Premier League goal for Liverpool two minutes from time, Mohamed Salah wrapping up the win with a low finish in front of The Kop.

Liverpool analysis: Ekitike shines but champions well below par

'Fantastic' Chiesa goal way to pay back Liverpool support - Slot

Slot wasted no time in integrating his expensive summer acquisitions as he gave first Premier League starts to the quartet of Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez - against his former club - Florian Wirtz and Ekitike.

Frenchman Ekitike was far and away the pick of the bunch with a vibrant performance as scorer and creator, deservedly receiving a standing ovation when he was substituted after 71 minutes.

Wirtz was quiet in the number 10 role behind Ekitike ,in what was a disjointed Liverpool display lacking so much of the calm and cohesion that was the trademark of Slot's first season in charge - which led to Liverpool strolling to the title.

And, as in the Community Shield defeat by Crystal Palace, there was a vulnerability running through this Liverpool side that will need work and almost resulted in them squandering a win that was theirs for the taking for the first hour.

It needed a typical late surge in front of The Kop to claim the three points in the face of a Bournemouth response which exposed Liverpool's defence far too often - especially down the flanks and through midfield, where the stabilising influence of the suspended Ryan Gravenberch was sorely missed.

Liverpool, however, gathered themselves as champions do, with Chiesa finally making his mark after life in the shadows at Anfield to put them back in front, Salah inevitably rounding things off.

It is only to be expected that the arrival of so many new faces, no matter how gifted, will lead to instability and this has been in evidence, leaving Slot with work to do to put all his many new pieces into place.

Liverpool were delighted with the three points, with Anfield celebrating accordingly, but this was a real scare as the champions were far from their best.

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Bournemouth analysis: Despair for Cherries but Iraola can take encouragement

Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola reacts after losing 4-2 at Liverpool

Bournemouth were presented with the toughest possible start to their Premier League campaign as they faced Premier League champions Liverpool at their fortress.

And it came after a summer of upheaval, with the defence that performed so well last season ransacked - Dean Huijsen sold to Real Madrid, Illia Zabarnyi to Paris St-Germain and Milos Kerkez in opposition here at Anfield - raising £147m in the process.

For all that, this was an excellent performance from Bournemouth that left them so close to an outstanding point before they fell victim to a typical late Liverpool surge.

And at the heart of it all was the outstanding Semenyo, who told experienced referee Taylor about being racially abused by a member of the crowd in the first half and responded with a superb display and two fine goals.

Bournemouth showed the strength of character and confidence manager Andoni Iraola has instilled in his team and they refused to take a backward step, even pressing for a winner at one stage.

Iraola has replenished his side with left-back Adrien Truffert and central defender Bafode Diakite, signed from Lille for £35m. Talks are also under way to bring in talented Scotland forward Ben Doak from Liverpool.

This, on top of what Bournemouth delivered at Anfield, will give Iraola heart despite this late disappointment.

What's next for these teams?

Liverpool: Newcastle United away on Monday week, then a meeting with Arsenal at Anfield the following Sunday.

Bournemouth: The Cherries meet Wolverhampton Wanderers at Vitality Stadium next Saturday, followed by a Carabao Cup second-round tie at home to Brentford three days later.

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Player of the match

A. Semenyo
7.93
22 H. Ekitiké
7.52
14 F. Chiesa
7.29
18 C. Gakpo
6.85
11 Mohamed Salah
6.71
10 A. Mac Allister
6.37
1 Alisson Becker
6.35
8 D. Szoboszlai
6.27
7 F. Wirtz
6.24
4 V. van Dijk
5.94
2 J. Gomez
5.91
30 J. Frimpong
5.85
3 W. Endo
5.81
26 A. Robertson
5.70
6 M. Kerkez
5.64
17 C. Jones
5.60
5 I. Konaté
4.86
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