by Determined to make the most of the winter break, Jürgen Klopp gave his players some time off the grind, a six-day respite from the brutal Premier League schedule. Klopp went to Dubai where, apart from playing padel with his assistant, Pep Lijnders, he enjoyed some downtime, even if half his Liverpool team were on the same seven-hour flight home.
The small talk in between, Klopp and the right-hand man were probably reflecting on how his team would recover as they returned to business. The answer? Rather emphatically, after a slow start. Liverpool are now five points clear at the top – Manchester City, of course, in the rearview mirror – after crisp, clinical doubles from Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota.
Related: Núñez and Jota go to Bournemouth to extend Liverpool’s lead at the top
Núñez’s second goal was a delight, a delicate one-touch finish with the outside of his right boot swooping in from the post to set up, set up and match in extra time. Last week Klopp talked about how Luis Díaz can’t stop smiling but on Sunday it was Núñez who really enjoyed it. He was booed throughout by the lively Liverpool supporters and even six minutes into the second half, the contest long ago, he was trying to push himself into the corner, knocking down Bournemouth substitute Kieffer Moore halfway, his way of boxing . for the fifth win in a row.
As Núñez headed down the tunnel at full-time, Klopp found him at the back, a satisfying afternoon’s work. In the absence of one of Liverpool’s best players, Núñez moved up front and centre.
The signs are promising for Liverpool, even if the picture is not entirely rosy. Their record now stands at just one win in 21 league games. There are clearly concerns over the extent of Mohamed Salah’s hamstring injury, sustained on Egypt duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Dominik Szoboszlai among those absent from injury to this victory.
But, despite Klopp having no first-choice pick across his side, particularly at full-back, his side showed the killer instinct at the heart of their title push. Jota played a perfect first-time pass to Núñez to open the scoring and equalized twice himself, the first of which pinged into the post, seven minutes after Cody Gakpo had come off the bench. For all the panic, Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 11 league games without Salah.
It would be an understatement to say that Liverpool were plagued by problems when they arrived at Bournemouth but some of the requirements were in Klopp’s front line. Conor Bradley, who was on loan in League One at Bolton Wanderers last season, impressed at right-back on his first League One start. This time last season he was preparing to face Forest Green Rovers but, despite having his hands full at times, the 20-year-old, wearing the No. 84, able to hurt the hosts in the future. Joe Gomez, who helped Núñez with his non-standard seconds, started at left back.
When these teams met in the Carabao Cup in November it was the high winds and torrential rain of Storm Ciaran that hit the south coast. Núñez also scored a beauty that night, and he relished the responsibility of leading the line here once again. But for 47 or so minutes in the first half Liverpool could be forgiven for thinking that it was Storm Iraola and not Isha that the Met Office had been on alert for the past few days.
Bournemouth did what they do best under Andoni Iraola, with their in-your-face spin and straight running causing problems for Liverpool. The sight at kick-off was so encouraging that James Hill, making his first Premier League start since signing from Fleetwood Town two years ago, lined up at halfway, ready to go toe-to-toe with Díaz, who started right When he was in full swing, Ryan Christie gave Curtis Jones a hard time and the lively Marcus Tavernier tested Alisson in his closest post.
Bournemouth resurfaced for the second half with the unmistakable hit of Run DMC’s Walk This Way but Iraola’s side did nothing at that pace. Everything is in full swing, as evidenced by Max Aarons’ burst past Alexis McAllister on the halfway line followed by Harvey Elliott’s high-wire act to steal possession from Dominic Solanke, the ex-Liverpool keeper who Klopp signed six-and-a-half years ago shin. Solanke has deserved the headlines of late but it was not his day.
Liverpool had to ride it out and the first time they showed good manners as they cleverly strung together a silky smooth move on the edge of the Bournemouth box, it ended when Núñez slotted the ball into the hosts’ net on four minutes into the second half. Jones turned on Ibrahima Konaté’s diagonal pass and then found Jota, who left Núñez’s first-time pass with only Neto to beat, his flawless finish. The three goals that followed were just as easy on the eye, with Liverpool well on their way to victory. Liverpool had a break but they continued where they left off: very much in trouble.
