Liverpool kicked off their Premier League title defence with a dramatic 4-2 victory over Bournemouth at Anfield, overcoming a spirited fightback powered by late goals from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah.
The Reds appeared to be cruising after debutant Hugo Ekitike opened the scoring in the 37th minute with his first league goal for the club, before setting up Cody Gakpo early in the second half to make it 2-0.
However, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo had other ideas, stealing the show with a quickfire double after the hour mark to level the scoreline and stun the Anfield faithful.
Manager Arne Slot responded by making a bold call, substituting debutant Florian Wirtz for Chiesa, a move that paid dividends in the 88th minute when the Italian winger marked his Premier League arrival with a crucial goal to restore Liverpool’s lead.
The drama wasn’t over, as Salah sealed the win in stoppage time with a clinical strike, continuing his impressive opening-day record. The Egyptian later dedicated the victory to the late Diogo Jota, adding an emotional note to the hard-fought triumph.
Slot will be pleased with the result, with Liverpool’s 2.15 expected goals edging out Bournemouth’s 1.63, reflecting their dominance despite the scare. The Reds now look ahead to a challenging trip to Newcastle United on August 25, while Bournemouth will aim to bounce back when they host Wolves in eight days.
