Liverpool got their first win of the season in style, recording the Reds’ biggest ever Premier League win and equalling the competition’s biggest ever win.
Liverpool 9-0 Bournemouth
Premier League (4), Anfield
August 27, 2022
Goals
Diaz 03′ (Firmino)
Elliott 06′ (Firmino)
Alexander-Arnold 28′ (Firmino)
Firmino 31′
Van Dijk 44′ (Robertson)
Mepham OG 46′ (Alexander-Arnold)
Firmino 61′ (Robertson)
Carvalho 80′ (Tsimikas)
Diaz 85′ (Tsimikas)
After the worst league start since 2012, the arrival of newly promoted Bournemouth at Anfield could not have been better timed.
There was just one change to the team that started the defeat to Man United, with Fabinho coming in for James Milner in midfield.
Liverpool began with the intensity that was missing at Old Trafford, flying into a 2-0 lead inside six minutes.
The opener arrived when Luis Diaz headed in Roberto Firmino‘s cross in the third minute, then Harvey Elliott doubled the lead with a lovely curled strike from the edge of the box.
Liverpool looked fluid and it should have been three when some lovely play from Elliott, linking with Fabinho and then Firmino set up Salah for an open goal five yards out but his stretched leg couldn’t put the ball in.
It was, though, 3-0 before the half-hour, when Trent Alexander-Arnold was given room on the edge of the box and he unleashed a rocket of a strike from 20 yards into the top corner.
And it didn’t take long for the fourth to arrive, Firmino finishing from Salah’s deflected cross three minutes later – Bobby’s first Anfield league goal since December 2020!
It was 5-0 before the break, Van Dijk heading in Robertson’s corner.
Five nil, five different scorers and Salah not among them!
The last time Liverpool led 5-0 at half time in a league game, it was the 1958/59 season!
Half time: Liverpool 5-0 Bournemouth
- Liverpool’s biggest ever Premier League win
- Six different goalscorers
- First goal for the club for Carvalho
- Bajcetic and Clark debuts from bench
Fabio Carvalho replaced the impressive Elliott at half time and Liverpool added a sixth within a minute of the restart. Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s cross from wide was poked into his own net by Chris Mepham.
The seventh arrived on the hour, Firmino scoring his 100th goal for the club by tapping in Robertson’s in-swinging cross from the right.
At this point, it was Liverpool’s highest Premier League home win and joint highest Premier League win.
The scoreline allowed for rotation with 20 minutes left, bringing on Kostas Tsimikas and Stefan Bajcetic.
Number eight arrived when Carvalho volleyed in Tsimikas pass for his first goal for the club, then Diaz headed in Tsimikas’ corner.
‘We want ten’ roared the Kop!
In the end, Liverpool had to settle with recording the joint-biggest win in Premier League history. Nine nil.
TIA Man of the Match: Roberto Firmino
Referee: Stuart Atwell
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Clark 83′), Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson (Tsimikas 69′); Fabinho, Henderson (Bacjetic 69′), Elliott (Carvalho 46′); Salah, Diaz, Firmino (Milner 69′)
Subs not used: Adrian, Davies, Van den Berg, Phillips
Bournemouth: Travers; Lerma, Senesi, Mepham; Smith, Cook, Christie, Zemura; Anthony, Tavernier; Moore
Subs: Neto, Stacey, Pearson, Marcondes, Hill, Bevan, Solanke, Billing, Saydee
Next Match: Newcastle (home, Wednesday 31 August)
