Match ends, Bournemouth 0, Liverpool 4.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp challenged his side to become more consistent after watching them thrash Bournemouth to move up to fourth in the Premier League table.
Goals from Philippe Coutinho, Dejan Lovren, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino gave the Reds the win and took them above Burnley and Arsenal, although they are still 18 points behind leaders Manchester City.
This result came after Liverpool had only managed draws in their home matches against Everton and West Brom earlier this month.
"It was a very important win as we had two draws in the last two games and both of those games we should have won," said Klopp.
"We need to be really consistent, on track and show all the time who we are and that we are all together.
"I'm really pleased about pretty much everything because the start was serious like it should be. We really deserved it and I enjoyed the performance."
Coutinho, who had earlier hit the post with a free-kick, put the visitors ahead with a fine individual goal and Lovren headed in a second six minutes later.
Jermain Defoe hit the post for Bournemouth, but Salah made it 3-0 before half-time after an excellent jinking run.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also hit the woodwork before Firmino headed in from Coutinho's cross to seal the impressive win for Klopp's side.
The victory extends Liverpool's unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 matches, while Bournemouth have not won in six games.
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Sensational Liverpool far too good for Bournemouth
Liverpool took only 20 minutes to break down Bournemouth, and it came from a piece of magic from Coutinho as he scored his fifth goal in as many games.
There looked to be little danger when the Brazilian collected the ball 35 yards out, close to the left touchline, but, with the Bournemouth defenders backtracking, Coutinho was allowed to run at the home defence, before he jinked inside a challenge and slotted the ball past Asmir Begovic.
It became two soon afterwards after some sloppy Bournemouth defending.
A corner from the left was flicked on by Georginio Wijnaldum, but the home defence stopped, thinking the ball was going out of play, and Firmino hooked the ball back into the danger zone for the unmarked Lovren to score with a diving header.
In this fixture last season, Bournemouth trailed 2-0 and 3-1 before winning 4-3, but there was no repeat this time around.
Salah got his 11th goal in 11 games, and his 20th of the season, with an excellent individual goal to kill the game off after only 44 minutes.
Firmino got the goal he deserved with a diving header for the fourth, although he had looked to be in an offside position when he met Coutinho's fine cross.
With the three points wrapped up, Klopp took the opportunity to give some playing time for England midfielder Adam Lallana, who came on for the last 19 minutes for only his second substitute appearance of the season after a thigh injury sustained in the summer.
Bournemouth's concerns increase
For Eddie Howe's Bournemouth, this was their sixth game without a victory and they remain 16th in the table, only one point above the relegation zone.
Since putting four past Huddersfield on 18 November, the Cherries have only scored four times in six games, and they will be concerned that Joshua King, who netted 17 times in 2016-17, went off injured after only 31 minutes.
Defoe had the best chance for the hosts when he was put through by substitute Junior Stanislas, but, with only goalkeeper Simon Mignolet to beat, the England international fired his shot against the foot of the post.
He also forced a fine second-half save from Mignolet, but the hosts' struggles in front of goal continue and no Bournemouth player has scored more than three Premier League goals in 2017-18.
It was also another disappointing home performance for a Bournemouth side who have only picked up eight points from their nine matches at the Vitality Stadium this season, with only bottom side Swansea picking up fewer points - seven - from their home games.
Man of the match - Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Landmark for Salah - the stats
- Bournemouth are winless in their last six league games (drawn three, lost three).
- Mohamed Salah became the first Liverpool player to score 20 goals before Christmas since Ian Rush in 1986-87.
- No side has scored more first-half Premier League goals this season than Liverpool's 19, although Manchester City have also scored 19 in the first half.
- Bournemouth's 4-3 win in this fixture 12 months ago is their only triumph in 12 league and cup games against Liverpool (drawn three, lost eight).
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last nine games in the Premier League (won six, drawn three) - their best run since an 11-match streak ended in November 2016.
- Jurgen Klopp has made 69 changes to Liverpool's starting line-up in this season's Premier League. Last season he only made a total of 54 changes to his starting side in the league all season.
'We left ourselves exposed' - what they said
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: "We have to look at ourselves before we look at the opposition. We were flat, we never got going and we can't turn the ball over like we did because it is very difficult to defend when the numbers are against us.
"We are aware our style can leave us vulnerable and we left ourselves exposed at times. We didn't get our game going and when you don't perform against the top teams, you're going to get punished so it was very disappointing for us."
On Bournemouth being in a relegation fight, Howe added: "It's going to be a tough challenge but I back us to come back strong from this. We're in the same position as always with a relegation fight, first year, second year, so we've been here before. We know we have to come through a tough Christmas schedule and come back stronger next year."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "I am really pleased about everything, the start was serious, we knew how they can play if you let them. We were disciplined, I like how we defended different situations, and our tactical discipline was good. You can't score all the time, all the games are hard. It was a fantastic first goal, and the third was world class.
"We could have scored more, but we didn't really give a lot away so it was well deserved and I enjoyed the performances."
Asked whether it was hard leaving players out, Klopp replied: "It's not hard, I am not here to celebrate my squad. I like them but against West Brom they didn't hit the target.
"I don't change my mind in three minutes, but we have to be consistently good because we are Liverpool. I am completely happy having these boys around, Adam Lallana came on and made a difference immediately, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain creates pressure. But still, I can only line 11 up."
What's next?
After playing Manchester United and now Liverpool, Bournemouth's tough run of fixtures continues with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Chelsea on Wednesday, 20 December (19:45 GMT), before an away Premier League game at leaders Manchester City on Saturday, 23 December (15:00 GMT).
Liverpool's next two games both come in the Premier League. Firstly they play away at Arsenal on Friday, 22 December (19:45 GMT) before a home game against Swansea City on Boxing Day (17:30 GMT).
Line-ups
Bournemouth
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 27Begovic
- 15A Smith
- 2Francis
- 5AkéBooked at 10mins
- 11DanielsSubstituted forS Cookat 56'minutes
- 33Ibe
- 16L Cook
- 6Surman
- 7PughSubstituted forFraserat 45'minutes
- 17KingSubstituted forStanislasat 31'minutes
- 18Defoe
Substitutes
- 1Boruc
- 3S Cook
- 4Gosling
- 8Arter
- 9Afobe
- 19Stanislas
- 24Fraser
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 22Mignolet
- 12Gomez
- 6Lovren
- 17Klavan
- 26Robertson
- 21Oxlade-Chamberlain
- 14Henderson
- 5Wijnaldum
- 11SalahSubstituted forLallanaat 71'minutesBooked at 73mins
- 9FirminoSubstituted forSolankeat 76'minutes
- 10CoutinhoSubstituted forIngsat 87'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Karius
- 7Milner
- 19Mané
- 20Lallana
- 28Ings
- 29Solanke
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- Referee:
- Andre Marriner
- Attendance:
- 10,780
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away21
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away7
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bournemouth 0, Liverpool 4.
Post update
Attempt missed. Adam Lallana (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is too high.
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Attempt saved. Dominic Solanke (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Adam Lallana.
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Foul by Joseph Gomez (Liverpool).
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Nathan Aké (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Danny Ings (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Adam Lallana.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Danny Ings replaces Philippe Coutinho.
Post update
Attempt missed. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jordan Henderson.
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Offside, Liverpool. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tries a through ball, but Joseph Gomez is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Philippe Coutinho.
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Foul by Dominic Solanke (Liverpool).
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Nathan Aké (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool).
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Lewis Cook (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Dominic Solanke replaces Roberto Firmino.
Post update
Attempt missed. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Roberto Firmino with a cross.
Booking
Adam Lallana (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Adam Lallana (Liverpool).
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Jordon Ibe (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Comments
Join the conversation
At least Eddie Howe teams have a go. I really do hope they stay up.
There is no love between LFC and MUFC but no other 2 clubs combined will EVER match these 2 clubs for worldwide fan base and the awesome haul of trophies they have acquired between them,,,
Arch Rivals..but they will always be England elite...ALWAYS !!
"Loserpool" oh, the hilarious irony you disseminate!
The most successful English club in Europe last century - and the English team that has won the most European trophies this century as well.
So if we are "losers" what does that make the rest of you?
Always in our shadow!
I don't see man utd anywhere near the PL (5 years) or CL (10 years)titles despite the mouthing off and cart blanche open chequebook spending policy.
Is it £600M or £700M spent in the last 5 years?
And wasn't it 6th place, 25 points from top last season?
Never mind. Another £500M night secure a tin pot trophy.
A season is 38 games long, and the majority of LFC fans will/should assess the team then.
Anyone calling for Klopp to go last week was simply premature. There are ups and down, but I'd rather watch more LFC games under Klopp than watch my team park the bus and hope for a lucky break.
We just need a few CB's in Jan
Tougher test up next but great performance and with Lallana back and Ings back, our squad is looking sharp!
Klopp's made some basic errors though.
Start your stongest XI and then rest players with subs. Give them training off if they're tired. Solanke should never have started. Robertson is much better than Moreno.
Hope they get 2nd.