Liverpool vs Bournemouth Goals & Highlights (4 - 2)

Liverpool started their Premier League title defense with a tense 4-2 victory against Bournemouth. The away side had come back from a 2-0 deficit, but eventually gave in to a seventh straight loss at Anfield.

The emotionally charged pre-match rendition of "You’ll Never Walk Alone" took on deeper meaning due to the sad passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva.

A respectful minute’s silence was held before the game, and Arne Slot’s restructured title-winning team, featuring four Premier League newcomers, kicked off with high intensity. Mohamed Salah hit the post with a bouncing left-footed shot, and later set up Virgil van Dijk for a header that went over the bar.

Just 12 minutes into the game, the first controversial decision of the season occurred.

Slot was clearly upset when Marcos Senesi tried to touch the ball with his hand as Ekitike was charging forward. However, the French player scored in the 37th minute, sneaking past Senesi after a fortunate bounce and calmly beating Petrović. He almost scored again shortly after, leaving the visitors with a narrow lead at halftime.

Ekitike provided an assist just five minutes into the second half, passing the ball to Gakpo, who moved into a central position and calmly scored, beating Petrović. Slot’s team were eager to add to their lead, but Petrović managed to push Mac Allister’s long-range shot over the crossbar. However, when it seemed Liverpool were in control, Antoine Semenyo equalized at the end of a flowing Cherries attack. Tyler Adams passed the ball to David Brooks on the left, and the latter delivered a wonderful cross that Semenyo headed into the net.

Semenyo then scored his second goal, and Bournemouth’s, to shock Anfield, clearly showing how weak Liverpool’s defense had been all preseason.

The forward was allowed to run straight into the box, using the space between Ibrahima Konaté and Van Dijk before shooting past Alisson. He became the first away player to score twice at Anfield since September 2022. But the champions had the last word through an unexpected source. Iraola was stunned by a terrible defensive display from his own side, as Federico Chiesa seized a loose ball in the box and fired a shot into the net, his first PL goal. There was still time for Salah to score Liverpool’s fourth goal, marking his 10th goal on opening day in the PL, and raising the noise level even more inside Anfield after a thrilling start to the new season.