by When Liverpool were here at the beginning of November, Kieran stormed and won to progress in the Carabao Cup. Another weather warning was here, with Storm Isha coming in and another powerful message. Liverpool are back from the winter break and they are hoping for the Premier League title.
Once again, Storm Darwin also blew. In the cup round, it was Darwin Núñez who scored the winner and it was his goal at the end of the smaller team transfers early in the second half that tipped this game in favor of his team.
Núñez was very good after the break, all the power and threat, that anonymous feeling up front, and he was involved in the second goal that saved the points, Liverpool extending their lead on top the table to five more points. Manchester City, although they played an extra game.
Related: Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool: The Premier League – live reaction
Diogo Jota sealed the deal after Núñez challenged Illia Zabarnyi and substitute Cody Gakpo played in the killer pass. After Jota scored again to make it 3-0, heading home after being miscued, Núñez had the last word. Joe Gomez’s cross was a beauty and near the end, Núñez headed into the far corner on the volley with the outside of his right boot.
Liverpool are fighting hard for four; they have the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at Fulham on Wednesday night, 2-1 up from the first leg. It’s the league they want the most.
It was a slow burner, the first shot didn’t come until the 19th minute and Alexis McAllister’s effort from distance didn’t trouble Neto. Bournemouth are a different proposition now compared to the start of November following the necessary adjustments under Andoni Iraola. There was one pre-match statistic that they had as the division’s form team over the past eight games.
They kept Liverpool at arm’s length in the first period, putting bodies on the line when needed, Neto didn’t stretch. When Harvey Elliott slipped a ball up the inside right for Luis Díaz, his cross was blocked before coming out and out. He summed up the first half for Jürgen Klopp’s team. Núñez’s volley effort got all wrong at the far post. “You’re just Andy Carroll’s shit,” said the home crowd. Liverpool supporters would enjoy singing that at the end.
There was a big talking point after 36 minutes when Justin Kluivert reached out to tackle Díaz, eyes on the ball, but he got nothing of it and hit his opponent’s lower leg. The replays looked bad and it looked like the video assistant referee might intervene. It didn’t, with Kluivert escaping without a yellow or red. Liverpool had been playing for a while with Díaz in trouble so maybe they didn’t think it was so bad at the moment. Players have been dismissed this season for similar challenges.
Bournemouth sparked an attacking bid just before the break, seeing a couple of shots blocked and creating a moment of real excitement when Luis Sinistra fed Kluivert and went over low for Ryan Christie’s run. Frustratingly for Bournemouth, Christie was unable to touch a point-blank range.
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Klopp knew his team would be without two of their leaders – the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, who is on Africa Cup of Nations duty and also has an injury question mark. The Liverpool manager, who was missing others and lost Curtis Jones at the end, had started with Núñez on the left and Jota through the middle – the setup that inspired Arsenal’s FA Cup win.
Klopp had the other way at the start of the second half and it was a decision that paid off immediately. The move forward was characterized by precision and technique, Jones shooting with a touch on his chest to control Ibrahima Konaté’s cross and free Jota on the bounce. Jota knew where Núñez was and found him the first time. Núñez knew where the bottom corner was and found it first time.
Liverpool looked to turn the screw. Jota felt a touch from Zabarnyi on the edge of the area and went down, asking for a penalty, which didn’t come – perhaps it did – and Conor Bradley, who came on with honors at right-back, headed wide.
The needle rose. Lewis Cook was booked for hockey at Bradley and after a bit during the untangling operation, when Klopp exchanged angry words with the Bournemouth bench. The Liverpool manager could have been more pleased with his team’s performance in the second half as they succeeded. He exuded discipline and authority, with Bournemouth woes complete as substitutes David Brooks and Kieffer Moore wasted glorious chances in the closing stages.
