Chiesa And Salah’s Late Show Earns Liverpool Dramatic Win Against Bournemouth

The opening nighttime of nan caller Premier League play contained tearful tributes, precocious drama, allegations of racist maltreatment and different reminder that, erstwhile it comes to indefatigable tone and nan will-to-win, Liverpool person fewer rivals.

Bournemouth guardant Antoine Semenyo, who reported being racially abused by a Liverpool instrumentality during nan first half astatine Anfield, appeared to person delivered a constituent for Andoni Iraoli’s broadside erstwhile hauling nan visitors backmost from 2 goals down. An 88th infinitesimal volley from Liverpool substitute Federico Chiesa, however, positive a stoppage clip onslaught from Mohamed Salah conjured a rescue enactment for Arne Slot’s champions. Salah was successful tears aft nan last whistle arsenic he stood successful beforehand of nan Kop and absorbed a tribute to Diogo Jota.

Liverpool entered nan caller run pinch anticipation and dream but besides successful grief. The club’s first location Premier League crippled of nan play was designated nan infinitesimal to honour Diogo Jota and his relative André Silva pursuing their tragic deaths successful a car accident successful July.

Liverpool paid its respects successful exemplary fashion, arsenic nan nine and its fans person done throughout. Bournemouth fans besides played their portion successful a moving tribute, raising a banner that publication ‘Diogo Jota 20 Together’ earlier kick-off and joining successful nan applause that thundered astir nan stadium successful nan 20th minute.

Jota’s wife, Rute Cardoso, children and family recovered nan spot to beryllium coming astatine Anfield. A banner on nan beforehand of The Kop welcomed them. ‘Rute, Dinis, Duarte, Matilda – Anfield will ever beryllium your home. You’ll Never Walk Alone.’ A mosaic connected The Kop publication ‘DJ 20’. Another connected nan little tier of nan Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand publication ‘AS 30’, commemorating Silva’s number for his nine successful Portugal, Penafiel. Both sets of players wore achromatic armbands and Anfield observed an impeccable infinitesimal of soundlessness earlier footwear off. Then it was down to business.

Ekitiké, nan recent £69m signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, instantly impressed, taking down a agelong shot from Virgil van Dijk and releasing Mohamed Salah successful space. Bournemouth’s caller goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic tipped complete Salah’s first trademark effort of nan campaign.

Hugo Ekitiké pays tribute to Diogo Jota aft scoring Liverpool’s first-half opener. Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Ekitiké captivated Anfield agelong earlier his opening goal. His touch, activity and gait ensured a seamless assimilation into nan Liverpool onslaught but 1 look astatine Slot’s substitute bench, wherever his striking options consisted of Federico Chiesa and 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, underlined why liking successful Alexander Isak remains. For each nan additions to nan Liverpool ranks and departures from nan Bournemouth squad, however, it was nan visitors who looked nan much enterprising squad anterior to Ekitiké’s breakthrough.

Bournemouth person sold Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi to nan powerhouses of Liverpool, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain respectively this summertime for a mixed £144.8m. Their absences told defensively, but Iraola will return comfortableness from nan value of his side’s wide display. Semenyo should person done amended than to side-foot complete Alisson’s extremity erstwhile Kerkez’s replacement, Adrien Truffert, swept an inviting transverse on nan look of nan Liverpool six-yard box. Marcus Tavernier had different good chance from Adam Smith’s propulsion backmost but scuffed a changeable consecutive astatine Alisson, who was making his 300th quality for Liverpool.

Marcos Senesi was fortunate successful nan utmost to debar a reddish paper for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity pinch only 13 minutes gone. Attempting to intercept a walk intended for Ekitiké, nan Bournemouth cardinal defender miscued a clearance from his thigh onto his fingertips earlier clawing nan shot distant from nan Liverpool striker, who would person been done connected goal. It was a clear handball, truthful clear that Cody Gakpo picked up nan shot to await nan inevitable punishment. Instead, and for immoderate inexplicable reason, referee Anthony Taylor awarded Bournemouth a free-kick for a handball by Gakpo. It was immoderate escape.

Slot was further enraged erstwhile Taylor waved play connected pursuing a travel connected Florian Wirtz. Semenyo took possession and avoided a vulnerable situation from Kerkez earlier being tripped by Alexis Mac Allister. Moments later, arsenic nan Bournemouth guardant shaped to return a throw-in, a Liverpool instrumentality moved to nan beforehand of nan Main Stand and berated him. Semenyo informed Taylor he had been racially abused and nan crippled was paused arsenic nan lucifer charismatic called complete some managers and stewards. A instrumentality successful a wheelchair was escorted retired of nan stadium astatine half-time by 3 constabulary officers.

Ekitiké gave Liverpool nan lead soon aft nan depressing incident when, having exchanged passes pinch Mac Allister, he ran astatine Senesi and benefited from a ricochet disconnected nan defender to title done connected goal. The France under-21 world was coolness personified arsenic he sent Petrovic to his correct and rolled a decorativeness past nan keeper’s left. Gakpo doubled nan champions’ advantage early successful nan 2nd half erstwhile he received Ekitike’s walk connected nan separator of nan area and trim crossed 2 Bournemouth players earlier uncovering nan bottommost corner.

Liverpool were successful nan comfortableness zone, and Bournemouth almost made them pay. Semenyo doubly punished loose Liverpool defending – and it had been a characteristic of their full capacity – to haul nan visitors level. The Ghana world was unmarked arsenic he swept location David Brooks’ debased centre from nan left. There was a consciousness of inevitability astir Bournemouth’s equaliser and it arrived erstwhile Salah overhit a walk towards Dominik Szoboszlai. Hamed Traore intercepted and released Semenyo, who group disconnected from heavy wrong his ain half and did not meet a situation of statement until reaching nan separator of nan Liverpool punishment area.

The guardant ended his outstanding tally by uncovering nan bottommost area of Alisson’s goal. How Salah would make amends. It was his transverse that caused pandemonium wrong nan Bournemouth container and resulted successful substitute Chiesa volleying Liverpool backmost into nan lead successful nan 88th minute. In stoppage clip Salah registered his customary opening time extremity to put nan consequence beyond uncertainty pinch a piercing decorativeness beyond Petrovic. The Premier League is back, and precocious play Liverpool are too.