The match: 2-1
The specter of a fourth defeat in five matches, all competitions combined, lurked this Saturday afternoon at Anfield. But the Jurgen Klopp Reds were able to pull themselves together, just in time. Because in four days, the context will be quite different. Liverpool, undisputed leader this season in the Premier League, still has everything to prove in the Champions League, after a defeat (0-1) in the round of 16 on the lawn of Atlético de Madrid.
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Faced with a modest team from Bournemouth (18th), Liverpool doubted. As against Watford and Chelsea, the feverish Reds in defense, conceded the opener by Wilson (0-1, 9th). They could even have been showered after fifteen minutes of play without Adrian’s reflex stop. Finally they managed to get up. Not by showing who is the boss, but by taking advantage of two Bournemouth recovery errors. Salah first, deceived Ramsdale for the first time (1-1, 25th) to score his 70th goal for Liverpool in 100 Premier League matches. Then Mané, another member of the offensive trio, gave the advantage to his teammates (2-1, 33rd).
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But the Reds were far from clearly dominating their opponent. Unable to put rhythm on the return from the locker room, they got scared on this Fraser lobe, saved in extremis by the return of Milner (61st). A call to order that had the merit of pushing the Reds. Van Djik (64th), Firmino (73rd, 90th + 1), Mané (74th), or even Salah (77th) tried to shelter their team, without success. Failing to drive the point, Liverpool has at least not cracked, and reassures itself after three complicated last three weeks.
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3
The Reds have conceded three times the opener at home this season.
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The first time against Newcastle on the 5th day, the second against Tottenham on the 10th day. Wilson was the third player this season to score the game’s first goal at Anfield. The Reds still have the best defense outside, as at home. They have never lost this season on their lawn and have conceded only 12 goals at home.
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