Darwin Nunez-inspired Liverpool crush Bournemouth and extend Premier League lead

Not Andy Carroll: Darwin Nunez finished off a slick passing move for Liverpool’s first goal – Action Images via Reuters/PETER CZIBORRA

This was Darwin Nunez’s big moment. In the absence of Mohamed Salah the striker turned not just goal-scorer but provider as Liverpool impressively extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points.

Second-placed Manchester City have a game in hand and at half-time, with a draw looming, they would have gone top by winning that but, in the end, Liverpool fully deserved their victory over a confident Bournemouth.

The first goal was Salah-esque by Nunez as he coolly passed the ball into the corner of the net after being picked out by Diogo Jota. It was the 100^th career goal – and there would be a 101^st in injury time – by the 24-year-old Uruguayan with Bournemouth fans left to reflect on their earlier chant that he was nothing more than a “s— Andy Carroll”.

Liverpool supporters later goaded Bournemouth on that one and the emphatic scoreline was harsh on the home side.

Nunez then played a big part in Liverpool’s second, which confirmed the result, as he proved too strong for defender Illia Zabarnyi who tried to bring him down, with the loose ball claimed by substitute Cody Gakpo. He found Jota whose powerful shot clipped the post on the way to beating Neto.

The celebrations in the Liverpool dugout showed how much it meant with Jurgen Klopp having earlier clashed with Bournemouth’s fitness coach Pablo De La Torre.

Jota added his second, with Nunez again involved, with Conor Bradley collecting a cross and finding the Portuguese international. His first shot was a miskick, which brought an ironic cheer, but he quickly latched onto the ball to again beat Neto.

Then, deep in added time Joe Gomez crossed deep and Nunez should a superb predatory instinct to steal in and guide a low volley that rounded up the scoring.

Without Salah, Wataru Endo and the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool were in need of inspiration and it was Nunez who provided it, along with an outstanding midfield performance by Alexis MacAllister.

In the battle of the No 9s, Nunez beat Bournemouth’s in-form Dominic Solanke hands down.

It was an extremely hard-fought result, with Bournemouth on a run of six wins in their last eight league games, and the biggest talking point of the first-half being a challenge by Justin Kluivert that went unpunished after he caught Luis Diaz high on his ankle. The debate was whether it should have been a red card but that would have been harsh.

By the final whistle the only concern for Liverpool was a potential injury to Curtis Jones who appeared to hurt his hamstring and head straight down the tunnel after being substituted.

Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 4: as it happened

07:27 PM GMT

Final

I think that will do it for our live blog. A game effort from Bournemouth in the first half but once Liverpool got the bit between their teeth they had too much firepower. Thanks for following it with us and have a restful evening. Stay safe!

07:23 PM GMT

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola to Sky

“They were much better in the second half, much more intense. They won the second duels and they were more clinical than us. We didn’t score at 1-0. You have to be at your best to compete against this kind of opposition. We tried to do things too quickly. We weren’t so aggressive, didn’t make the fouls you sometimes have to make to stop the transitions and the counter. Once we dropped our physical level they imposed their game.”

Did you see what happened between Klopp and your fitness coach?

“I think they were both complaining that they wanted a yellow card. These things happen. We congratulated them at the end and there is no problem.

[Injury-wise] “A bad game. We lost Max Aarons and we finished with ten players. All our injuries are at full back. /We have to think who is available. We are thin in that area and we need some new players in the window.”

07:01 PM GMT

Virgil van Dijk

doing a wee interview with Sky. Jamie Redknapp accidentally dumps all the water from his brolly on him.

“Bournemouth in a very good moment, they played very confident, they defend with quite a lot of risk and that has given them a lot of reward so far. We have seen that over the last couple of seasons it is hard here. We had to stay in the game and make it hard, be resilient. And then in the second half we showed that we can make it hard for any team in this League.”

“Hopefully our momentum is building to something big this season, but you need luck with injuries. Curtis coming off here, and we watched Mo come off in the Africa Cup. We have to keep the momentum and the confidence. We will see but we should be positive.”

“I want to keep going and stay important for this amazing football club. Being captain has given me a big boost but it is not the only reason why I am playing the way I am playing. By my standards, last year was not the best year and I fully admit that. Although it wasn’t as bad as everyone was making out. I kept my head down and did not listen to the noise.”

Jamie Carragher? “Can you remember who was making that noise?!”

VVD: “Next question! No that’s okay. You guys are doing your job. I am doing it for the club and myself, the tough times make you stronger.”

06:45 PM GMT

Jurgen Klopp speaks to Sky Sports

“Second half was much better, obviously. Opponent in a good moment. Bad start from us, passing back, giving them corners, throw ins… giving the home team momentum. We went long when we should have passed, we passed when we should have gone long. Left side completely static. I told them at half time, the good news is that you weren’t great but it is 0-0. Second half we changed the formation, much more fluid. Support for the frontline was much better.”

“I moved Darwin in from the left wing but to move the striker inside is better for Diogo. It changed the dynamic of the game. You might well ask why I didn’t do that to start with!”

“Mac Allister, I know this boy for a long time. I wanted to sign him. An incredibly smart player. If you can create a compact formation he is an outstanding number six. Outstanding. On the ball, better than all sixes you can imagine. Against the ball he is just really strong. If the pitch is too big, the half spaces are too open, then yeah, I don’t know a lot of sixes who are that great. There might be a few who come on the defensive side, but… Second half,, so involved. So calm on the ball.”

06:38 PM GMT

Liverpool player quotes

Bradley: “Tough place to come, to get a 4-0 win and clean sheet is great. Very happy. This is my dream since I was five. I couldn’t believe I had that chance and missed it. I don’t know how easy it will be to keep Trent out of the team! But I will try my best for the team.”

Jota: “Great performance from him in the Carabao Cup and he deserved this start. Almost a goal, too. Good performance in the second half. We have a few injuries, players going away with their national sides. Part of the job. Hard. Games coming thick and fast, we all need to be ready. Of course it is easier when you have world class players (available). But we are Liverpool! We give our best and we keep going. I try to be in the right place at the right time. They played good, they were great in the first half, they kept us down. We made a few changes at half time.”

06:29 PM GMT

Full time: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 4

Tight in the first half but, like Thom Gibbs was saying, it felt like AFCB were at 100% and LFC at about 90%. Once Liverpool raised their game the hosts couldn’t live with them and the second half was very one-sided.

06:25 PM GMT

90+6 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 4

Moore again. A galloping break. Darwin Nunez shoves him to the ground and collects a yellow card.

06:24 PM GMT

90+4 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 4

Moore and Konate tangle. The Liverpool man goes down in pain, clutching his knee.

“You’re just a s*** Andy Carroll,” sing the Liverpool fans. And they enjoy it a minute or two later when Moore gets clear and shoots well wide.

Update: I think this was actually Liverpool fans ironically singing that back to AFCB fans because the home supporters had been taunting Darwin Nunez in the first half. Hard to be certain off the TV.

06:22 PM GMT

GOAL! Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 4 (Nunez 90+2)

Gomez allowed to have a stroll down the right, crosses accurately and there’s that man Darwin Nunez to side foot it home with the outside of the boot for a sweet little finish.

06:20 PM GMT

90 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 3

8 minutes will be added on. 8 minutes that neither manager wants, the game’s done and it’s only really a matter of avoiding injuries at this point.

06:19 PM GMT

89 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 3

Ooh that should have been the consolation for Bournemouth. Brooks, the sub, is one on one with the keeper but makes a pig’s ear of it.

Aarons has to come off but AFCB have used up all their subs so will complete the match with 10 men.

06:14 PM GMT

85 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 3

Looks like Jones went off with a hamstring and now Bournemouth’s Aarons is down as well with something similar by the looks of it.

Kieffer Moore and Philip Billing are on. Lewis Cook and Dominic Solanke the men off. Think they probably wanted to wheel big Kieffer into position when it was still only 0-2. Make it uncomfortable for the visitors.

06:11 PM GMT

80 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 3

Changing of the (young) guard for Liverpool. Bradley comes off after a good first start. Jones, who looks to be hurt, coming off as well. Clark and Beck the young men who are coming on.

06:10 PM GMT

GOAL! Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 3 (Jota 79)

Nunez does well to keep play alive and cross, there’s nobody there… but Liverpool nevertheless keep the move alive. Played back into the box, Jota miscues the ball as he shoots and it totally foxes the Bournemouth defenders. They turn their backs and Jota reacts first. He gets a second bite of the cherry and this time he crunches the ball away.

Debate among the Sky commentator as to whether you can get an assist by passing it to yourself!

06:06 PM GMT

77 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 2

Bournemouth not given up. The rain stair-rods down as they get down the left, cross for Solanke to attack but the formidable van Dijk has other ideas. They win a corner but nothing comes of it.

06:04 PM GMT

74 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 2

Aarons cuts inside from the right, gets the break of the ball and should have shot – instead he tries to play it to a teammate and Konate pounces to intercept.

06:01 PM GMT

72 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 2

I’d backed both teams to score and three or more goals in the match. I’m more confident of the latter than the former as of now. I could see Bournemouth folding here.

06:00 PM GMT

GOAL! Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 2 (Jota 70)

His defenders said that even though he isn’t scoring he is contributing, and Darwin has again shown his value to the Reds here with physicality and commitment. Brave, muscular play to win and hold the ball, then play in his pal Jota, who purrs onto the ball in the inside right channel and tucks it away. Liverpool pulling away here and looking a cut above.

05:57 PM GMT

67 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1

Kluivert is coming off and Brooks is coming on.

05:56 PM GMT

64 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1

Bradley gets a booking for throwing a hand into the face of Scott. Here’s m’colleague Thom Gibbs:

“Almost dispiriting to see how comprehensively Liverpool have bossed this second half since emerging re-energised after the break. You get the sense they were at about 90 per cent, against Bournemouth’s 100, in an intense but forgettable first half. Liverpool have gone up to 92, Bournemouth beginning to look a touch leggy, and all the meaningful territory and possession belongs to the visitors.”

05:53 PM GMT

62 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1

Liverpool making a couple of changes. Gravenberch and Gakpo are coming on.

Diaz and Elliott the guys who make way.

05:49 PM GMT

59 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1

Tavernier tries to bundle through but there are too many Liverpool men back.

05:47 PM GMT

58 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1

Cook with a nasty foul from behind on Bradley and then he finishes the job with a little nibble at the Liverpool man once he hits the desk. A well-earned yellow.

05:46 PM GMT

55 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1

That Bradley headed effort begat a corner and young Bradley himself is the guy who has a crack. Wide.

Hosts make two changes: Hill and Sinisterra off for Kelly and Scott.

05:42 PM GMT

54 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1

Chances coming thick and fast now! Bradley with a header at the back post, he should have done better there and he looks like he knows it.

05:41 PM GMT

52 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1

end to end stuff now. Diogo Jota drives at the centre of the penalty area, Tavernier gives him a wee push in the back and Zabarnyi brushes past him. Jota has a little lie down but ref’s not interested.

05:40 PM GMT

50 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1

Bournemouth have a good chance to hit back right away by Kluivert’s shot is blocked.

05:39 PM GMT

GOAL! Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 1 (Darwin Nunez 49)

There it is! Well played son. Konate starts it off, a lovely passing move this. Hit forward long, controlled on the chest by Curtis Jones and stroked to Diogo Jota. He picks out Darwin, who looks utterly composed as he takes a touch and slots it away. You wouldn’t know he’d been struggling in front of goal if that’s the clip you saw.

05:35 PM GMT

47 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Gomez with a run and shot that takes a big deflection. Neto comes a long way outside his box to tidy up.

Bournemouth made a hot start to the first half but the second dig has been all Liverpool so far.

05:34 PM GMT

46 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Bournemouth boss says: “legs will get tired second half and it will open up. Hopefully for us.”

05:24 PM GMT

Kluivert foul

“Frustration for Liverpool because Curtis Jones got sent of for something similar. I don’t like to see a red card. But he is a lucky boy because it looks bad when you slow it down.”

05:17 PM GMT

Half time: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Chances at a premium. Just three shots on target and neither Alisson nor Neto was remotely troubled.

Kelly Cates says the combined xG is 0.28.

05:16 PM GMT

45 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Kluivert loses the ball in midfield, Liverpool break and win a corner. Better passing and they would have had an opportunity. Konate goes close at the corner.

05:15 PM GMT

44 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Two good moments for Bournemouth: first Solanke tries to dribble past everyone in the inside right channel, and he nearly manages it. Drills the ball across but nobody there.

Now Sinisterra with some useful work down the left, he punches the ball across but again it’s friendless in the area. Christie straining and failing to get there.

05:14 PM GMT

42 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Elliott and Solanke with a “messy challenge”, as Sky commentator Seb Hutchinson calls it.

05:11 PM GMT

40 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Marcus Tavernier plays the ball to Ryan Christie. He gets away from Curtis Jones and has a shot. It’s easy for Alisson. That’s Bournemouth’s first effort of the afternoon.

05:08 PM GMT

36 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Jota down the right flank, centres the ball low. Nunez cannot turn it in. To be fair, the ball was just a little bit behind where he needed it to be.

05:06 PM GMT

34 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Kluivert with a lunging foul on Diaz, that’s done Luis Diaz a mischief. Needs a bit of treatment. Var settles on a yellow.

05:01 PM GMT

30 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Diaz gets down the right and crosses, Darwin Nunez attempts a high tariff, low probability spectacular airborne volley and… misses the ball. Even if he was a striker in form, that was 66-1 to go in. here is Thom Gibbs:

“Quite understandably Bournemouth seem to be targeting Liverpool’s break-glass-in-case-of-emergency right-back Conor Bradley on his first Premier League start. One cruel Tavernier pass zipped across him at speed and nearly set up Sinisterra. Some attempts at testing his physicality too, two defenders double teaming him and successfully muscling Bradley off the ball when he received a pass on the touch-line in Bournemouth’s half. Tavernier has just nabbed it off him again near the corner flag, to disrupt Liverpool’s increasing dominance of possession. Still, great to see a squad number of 84 on the pitch. A Premier League first?”

05:00 PM GMT

28 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Good Sky stat. In the last ten mins, Liverpool have completed 58 passes. Bournemouth 7. Liverpool are bossing this now.

04:57 PM GMT

26 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Nice ball in from Liverpool, Elliott I think, and Konate is on the premises. Bundled out by a defender for another corner. That is cleared.

04:56 PM GMT

24 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Long ball form Liverpool, Neto and Hill don’t communicate well and the former has to hack it out for a corner.

04:54 PM GMT

23 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Nunez has a dibble from distance but straight at the keeper.

Mac Allister had a shot a couple of minutes previously, it went wide.

Those represent the only shots so far.

04:48 PM GMT

14 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Useful crossfield ball, good work from Tavernier. Sinisterra clips it to Solanke but his control isn’t what it should have been.

Here is the splendid Thom Gibbs: “Is it shameful to be slightly confused about Bournemouth’s formation here? Caught a glimpse of the Sky coverage in the press room (strong wifi, mediocre coffee) and they had it laid out as a 3-4-3, but I think it’s four at the back with Hill at left-back, a flat four ahead of them then Kluivert employed in a lesser-spotted free role, drifting about behind Solanke wherever he fancies. Of course one man’s 4-4-free-1 is another’s 4-2-3-1, which is the shape they seem to be dropping into more as I type. Seems to be working so far in any case, a sense Liveprool haven’t quite sussed out who they should be tracking.”

04:45 PM GMT

12 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Excellent use of the coach’s “group” here from Glenn Murray on the BBC: “Lewis Cook in midfield is setting the tempo with his press for this Bournemouth group.” Makes them sound like a jazz band. Here’s The Bournemouth Group with Andoni’s High Press… Nice.

04:44 PM GMT

11 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Both sides busy and committed, playing some attractive stuff but no chances to speak of as yet.

04:37 PM GMT

7 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Konate heads that clear.

Alisson has the ball and pumps it long, clearly a deliberate tactic and it nearly catches Bournemouth out. Christie does well to tidy up.

04:36 PM GMT

6 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Sinisterra especially looks full of both confidence and beans and his tricksy play has won a corner on the left. Drilled in, Alisson parries it behind for corner number four.

04:32 PM GMT

4 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Sinisterra and Christie putting themselves about and they’ve got the Liverpool defence well pinned back.

04:31 PM GMT

2 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

Liverpool cannot clear the corner, AFCB looking dangerous in the box and Konate has to turn it behind for another corner.

AFC Bournemouth: Neto, Aarons, Zabarnyi, Mepham, Hill, Cook, Christie, Sinisterra, Kluivert, Tavernier, Solanke. Subs: Kelly, Brooks, Marcondes, Scott, Moore, Kilkenny, Billing, Travers, Greenwood.

Liverpool: Alisson, Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Gomez, Elliott, Mac Allister, Jones, Nunez, Jota, Diaz. Subs: Adrian, Gakpo, Gravenberch, Clark, Gordon, McConnell, Kelleher, Beck, Quansah.

Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)

Jurgen Klopp has handed Conor Bradley his first Premier League start – PA

04:30 PM GMT

1 mins: Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 0

The Cherries kick us off and hoist it forward. They win an early corner.

04:30 PM GMT

The players are out

Alan Smith: “I’ve got a lot of time for Nunez. The lad always plays his part and it can be hard as a striker” (if you’re not scoring). A typically humane and sensible view from the former Arsenal man.

04:25 PM GMT

Up the Cherries

in all departments.

04:25 PM GMT

Ready

04:24 PM GMT

Stormy

windy, rainy down at the Vitality Stadium.

04:22 PM GMT

Familiar face

Dominic Solanke, once of Liverpool, is on a hot streak. If he scores today, he’ll be the first Bournemouth player to score in four consecutive home appearances in the Premier League.

04:20 PM GMT

Who do you fancy then?

Two other European giants look like they are getting turned over this afternoon: both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were losing when I looked just now.

03:49 PM GMT

Fancy a flutter?

Having a bet on today’s match? First take a look at these free bets and betting offers.

03:38 PM GMT

Liverpool’s women

meanwhile, are getting a bit of pasting by Man City’s women. They trail 3-1 at half time.

03:30 PM GMT

Lineups are in

AFC Bournemouth: Neto, Aarons, Zabarnyi, Mepham, Hill, Cook, Christie, Sinisterra, Kluivert, Tavernier, Solanke. Subs: Kelly, Brooks, Marcondes, Scott, Moore, Kilkenny, Billing, Travers, Greenwood.

Liverpool: Alisson, Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Gomez, Elliott, Mac Allister, Jones, Nunez, Jota, Diaz. Subs: Adrian, Gakpo, Gravenberch, Clark, Gordon, McConnell, Kelleher, Beck, Quansah.

Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)

03:29 PM GMT

South Coast Trip

03:11 PM GMT

Liverpool travel to Bournemouth

Good afternoon, I hope you are having a pleasant Sunday and thank you for joining us on our live blog of AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool in the Premier League. The hosts are 12th and have 25 points, they had been on a nice little run: they had four wins in a row during December before losing to Spurs on New Years’ Eve. Curiously, they have not yet played a Premier League fixture in 2024, so not quite sure what we should make of that in form terms.

Liverpool have been going well. They have won three and drawn two of their last five and the absence of key man Mo Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations appears to have been absorbed so far. They’ve beaten Arsenal and Fulham in Cup competitions recently, and Newcastle United in the League. Both teams have been scoring plenty and hopefully we will see a good open game with plenty of goals.

There was a nice, although of course sad, story over the past week where Sven Goran Eriksson had said that it was always his dream to manage Liverpool. The former England boss has cancer and he has publicly said that he doesn’t have long to live.

Robbie Fowler, who played under Eriksson for England, said that  a call had been made for the 75-year-old Swede to manage a Liverpool Legends team at Anfield in 2024, but the current Reds boss Jurgen Klopp says he might be able to one better.

“Yes, it was obviously very touching news when you heard about it. I heard for the first time about his admiration or love for Liverpool and that he was a fan for his whole life,” said Klopp.

“So, I heard now about the legends match and stuff like that. I’m not in charge of that so I can’t say anything about that.

“The only thing I can say is absolutely he’s very welcome to come here and he can sit in my seat in my office and do my job for a day if he wants. That’s no problem.

“Being on the sideline might be a little bit more difficult. To have him here and show him everything and how this wonderful club developed over the years, I think that’s definitely something we will tell him.

“He can come over and have a few wonderful hours here, I’m sure.”

Love Jurgen. Classy guy I think. Anyway, he is the current manager of Liverpool of course and we will see what team he names to face the Cherries shortly. The lineups will be out at half past three and the kick off will be at 4.30pm UK time. Stay with us for news, teams and buildup.

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