Bournemouth exacted revenge on Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday, following their 9-0 defeat earlier in the season.
The match saw Philip Billing score the solitary goal in the 28th minute, after being assisted by Dango Ouattara. While Liverpool’s attack had looked impressive in their previous game, where they secured a stunning 7-0 win against Manchester United, they struggled to find the back of the net against Bournemouth.
Mohamed Salah missed a penalty in the 70th minute, and Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk had an early header cleared off the line. However, Bournemouth managed to contain Liverpool’s attacking plays and secure the win.
Bournemouth’s victory boosted their chances of avoiding relegation while hindering Liverpool’s hopes of a top-four finish. Jurgen Klopp’s team had been on an upward trajectory with four wins and a draw in their last five games.
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This run of games had seen them move up to fifth place in the standings, after a dismal first half of the season. However, their subdued performance against Bournemouth prevented them from overtaking Tottenham, who was in fourth place at the time.
Bournemouth’s victory was even more significant, as they were coming off a 3-2 loss to Arsenal, where they had led 2-0 before conceding the last goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
This defeat had come after their infamous 9-0 drubbing at Anfield in August, which equaled the biggest winning margin in Premier League history. However, Bournemouth’s win against Liverpool showed their resilience and ability to bounce back from their previous losses.
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Although Liverpool had an opportunity to level the game with a penalty, Salah missed, sending the ball wide of the post. It was the first time Salah had missed a target from the penalty spot in the Premier League.
While Klopp acknowledged that if the penalty had been successful, it might have changed the game’s result, he also acknowledged that it wouldn’t have made the team’s performance any better.
In stoppage time, Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo missed the target after a long ball into the box from goalkeeper Alisson, securing Bournemouth’s victory. The win was only Bournemouth’s second league victory in their last ten games.
Nonetheless, the victory will be a significant morale boost for the team as they continue their fight against relegation, while Liverpool will need to reassess their performance ahead of their next game.
