Any crisis that might have been looming for Jurgen Klopp after a dismal start to the season was swept away in an avalanche at Anfield. 9 Diaz opened the scoring for Liverpool in the third minute Source: Rex 9 Elliott added a second before ten minutes Credit: AFP 9 Alexander-Arnold opened his Prem goals tally for the seasonCredit: Rex 9 Firmino scored in Nunez’s absence Credit: PA 9 Van Dijk got Liverpool’s fifth before half-timeCredit: Rex Boss Klopp’s side equaled their record Premier League win as they beat Bournemouth and it was their highest goal tally in a game in the new era. Liverpool join Leicester and Manchester United in an elite group. Manchester United have won nine to one opposition on two occasions, against Ipswich and most recently Southampton. Leicester also scored nine from Southampton. While Firmino, who had supposedly paved the way for a club record £85m signing of Darwin Nunez as his understudy, claimed his own club record. With the Uruguayan still sidelined following his red card for a header against Crystal Palace, the Brazilian proved to be anything but a spent force. The 30-year-old became the first Liverpool player to be directly involved in four goals in the first half of a Premier League game with one goal and three assists. The only other player to do so was Harry Kane in February 2017 with three goals and one assist against Stoke City. FREE BET AND SIGN UP OFFERS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS The walk in the park started just three minutes in. Klopp would have hoped the Cherries would be ripe for the picking after Manchester City thrashed them 4-0 and Arsenal took three without reply – and they were just that. Amazingly, Liverpool had gone behind in their last seven Prem games, but not this time, not against opponents who looked open to plunder. Firmino sent in a simple cross and the Bournemouth defense stood still as Luis Diaz stole in to slot a header past Mark Travers. 9 Mepham scored an own goal after the restartCredit: EPA Three minutes later, Harvey Elliott was celebrating his first top-flight goal and it was a magnificent affair. Mo Salah broke down the right, Firmino leaned back and inside and the 19-year-old, who the manager thinks so highly of, produced a superb volley. Trent Alexander-Arnold found a superb third midway through the half, unleashing a rocket from 25 yards that dropped into the top right corner. The England full-back may have questions asked of him in terms of his defence. 9 Firmino scored one of his trademark off-screen goalsCredit: Reuters But going forward, he remains a real threat, although Parker’s defenders, now switched from their usual three backs to a four-man rearguard, have given him plenty of time to pick his position. Alexander-Arnold set himself up by playing a great one-two with Firmino. The goal allowed the Brazilian to claim an impressive double as it was the second time he had three first-half strikes in a Premier League match – the first in a 4-0 win over Southampton in February 2020. However, only better for him. 9 Summer signing Carvalho has opened his Liverpool accountCredit: Rex Salah attempted a cross that took a wild ricochet and the striker volleyed in from close range to score his first league goal at Anfield since hitting the net in a 2-1 win over Tottenham on 16 December 2020. However, he also had another feather in his cap, this one – a four-goal first-half haul, Prem’s second player after Harry Kane to score three goals and have one assist against Stoke City in 2017. It also has to be said that Bournemouth were awful. Newly promoted or not, they were naive, rabbits stuck in the headlights. 9 Diaz and Carvalho were in a dancing moodCredit: PA Seconds before the break they were five behind and for once Firmino was not involved, although Travers turned his effort away for a corner. Andy Robertson made it through and Virgil van Dijk rose above Marcus Tavernier to head home. The opening day 2-0 win over Aston Villa will already seem like a long time ago as they reached the hallowed dressing room, but it was all too brief in there. Just three minutes into the second half Chris Mepham helped upset his side with an own goal. Liverpool dominated the ball and had 50 touches inside the Cheros penalty The number seven only served to highlight the misery Parker’s players were going through. Robertson swung over a cross which Travers, the one player who tried to put up any real resistance, put away. The ball fell to Firmino and while the keeper saved his first shot, he could do nothing for the rebound. By this point, a 10-0 Prem victory was on the cards and in the 82nd minute came number eight, sub Fabio Carvalho’s first goal since his £9m arrival from Fulham in the summer. And they weren’t done there, equaling the Prem record with Diaz returning from close range for his second. And the only surprise in a game that was almost over before it started? Mo Salah didn’t get his name on this remarkable scoresheet! Relive ALL the action with our live blog below…
