Liverpool recorded their first home Premier League win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Bournemouth at Anfield this afternoon.
Jurgen Klopp’s men had begun their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea last weekend, and with the underwhelming 2022/23 season still fresh in the memory, it was imperative that they recorded a win against the Cherries.
The German kept the same starting XI from that draw last week, and it looked like it was all going pear-shaped as Bournemouth took the lead after just three minutes.
Luis Diaz restored parity before Mohamed Salah scored with the rebound from his own penalty, and despite having Alexis Mac Allister sent off, the Reds wrapped up the win courtesy of Diogo Jota's clincher.
Has Mohamed Salah scored more Liverpool goals than Steven Gerrard?
The Egyptian scored his first goal of the season, despite initially fluffing his lines from the spot, with the forward netting the rebound to give Liverpool the lead.
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It was his 187th goal for the club and he now leapfrogs Gerrard into fifth spot on the list of all-time Liverpool goalscorers – quite a magnificent feat.
Along with scoring, Salah also managed five shots in total during the tie and made two key passes while succeeding with 87% of his passes, and although he did miss two big chances, his ascent into the pantheon of Liverpool legends continues with his historic goal.
It perhaps wasn’t the most clinical of performances for the former AS Roma gem, but it didn’t have to be, with Jota and Diaz taking it upon themselves to score crucial goals during the tie.
The game won’t be remembered for Salah’s display, but the Anfield crowd may be desperate to see more of Dominik Szoboszlai, who shone on his home debut.
How did Dominik Szoboszlai perform for Liverpool?
The “generational talent” – as lauded by journalist Marcel Moeller – is certainly beginning to justify the £60m that Klopp spent to lure him from RB Leipzig during the summer.
It was a commanding performance by the Hungarian in the Liverpool midfield three alongside Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo as he ended the match with a Sofascore rating of 7.7/10.
Throughout the 90 minutes, he took 90 touches in total and completed 65 of his 70 passes – an impressive 93% success rate – suggesting that he can adapt to Klopp’s tactical system.
He was also a threat going forward, making one key pass and succeeding with 60% of his dribble attempts, while also winning the penalty from which Salah eventually scored.
These forays into the box were crucial for the Reds to dominate Bournemouth, and Szoboszlai even demonstrated his tenacious side, winning five of his eight ground duels along with making one tackle and an interception, showcasing his ability to contribute effectively from a defensive viewpoint, too.
The 22-year-old arrived at Merseyside with a reputation for being one of the most talented young midfielders on the continent, and today showed exactly why Liverpool brought him to the Premier League.
More performances like that this season, and the Anfield side will soon put their stagnation during 2022/23 behind them, that’s for sure.