Reds comeback sees Cherries lose out

AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola suffered his first Premier League defeat as ten-man Liverpool hit back to register a 3-1 victory at Anfield on Saturday.

Iraola’s team stunned the home crowd when Antoine Semenyo fired the visitors ahead in the third minute – the goal coming after Jaidon Anthony had seen an earlier effort ruled out for offside.

However, the Reds staged a recovery and reached the break in the ascendancy, Luis Díaz’s spectacular volley restoring parity in the 28^th minute.

Although Neto saved Mohamed Salah’s 36^th-minute penalty, the frontman followed up to net the rebound to give Jurgen Klopp’s team the lead following a breathless first half.

And although Alexis Mac Allister saw red for a lunging tackle on Ryan Christie after 58 minutes, Liverpool extended their lead when Diogo Jota scored from close range in the 62^nd minute.

Semenyo was named in the Cherries starting line-up as head coach Iraola made one change from the 1-1 draw with West Ham in their top-flight curtain-raiser.

There was a welcome return on the bench for Lloyd Kelly, the defender having been sidelined by injury since the warm-weather training camp in Marbella in July.

Jaidon Anthony looked to have handed the Cherries the perfect start when he had the ball in the net after 51 seconds, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

However, there was no reprieve when Semenyo emphatically rifled Iraola’s team ahead in front of The Kop after just three minutes.

He was on hand to lash an unstoppable drive past the outstretched right hand of Alisson after Andy Robertson had intervened as Dom Solanke prepared to pull the trigger.

As Liverpool went in search of an immediate response, Neto punched clear after Trent Alexander-Arnold had despatched dangerous cross into the six-yard box.

And the Cherries had a huge let-off when Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk met Robertson’s corner with a thumping header, his effort coming back off the crossbar.

Alisson was booked for a cynical foul on Anthony, the resultant free-kick taken by Ryan Christie saved comfortably by the Liverpool goalkeeper.

Alexander-Arnold’s angled drive soared over the crossbar, while Solanke burst through before lifting his strike from long range over the top.

Appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears after Solanke had gone to ground under a challenge from Robertson midway through the first half.

The Reds levelled when Díaz flicked up Diogo Jota’s deflected cross and acrobatically drilled a volley past Neto from around eight yards after 28 minutes.

And Klopp’s team edged ahead through Salah, the Egyptian reacting quickest and firing home the rebound after Neto had saved his 36^th-minute penalty.

Referee Thomas Bramall pointed to the spot after deeming Joe Rothwell had felled Dominik Szoboszlai just inside the box, his decision backed up by VAR.

As an absorbing first period drew to a close, Neto beat away Alexander-Arnold’s stinging drive before Van Dijk headed another Robertson corner past the upright.

And in stoppage time, Ibrahima Konaté nodded Alexander-Arnold’s corner wide and Alisson got down smartly to smother a low drive from Semenyo.

The tone continued at the start of the second half as the teams traded early chances, Alexander-Arnold’s low drive blocked and Semenyo’s effort just too high.

Jota seized on an attempted headed clearance by Neto and fired wide before the Cherries goalkeeper saved at his near post from Salah.

Liverpool were reduced to ten men in the 58^th minute when Alexis Mac Allister received a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Ryan Christie.

Jota pounced to make it 3-1 just four minutes later though, the striker prodding home from close range after Neto had only been able to parry Szoboszlai’s shot.

Alisson kept out Justin Kluivert’s effort from point-blank range after fellow substitute David Brooks had teed him up, with Hamed Traorè unable to convert the rebound. 

In second-half stoppage time, Philip lifted a free-kick over the crossbar before Traorè's lively cameo saw him twice thwarted by excellent saves from Alisson. 

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold (Gomez, 75), Konaté, van Dijk, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gakpo (Endo, 63), Salah (Núñez, 86), Jota (Elliott, 76), Díaz (Tsimikas, 86).

Unused subs: Matip, Doak, Bajcetic, Kelleher (g/k).

Booked: Alisson.

Sent off: Mac Allister.

AFC Bournemouth: Neto, Aarons, Zabarnyi, Senesi (Traorè, 83), Kerkez, Rothwell (Kelly, 76), Philip, Christie (Moore, 63), Anthony (Kluivert, 63), Semenyo (Brooks, 76), Solanke.

Unused subs: Mepham, Hill, Kilkenny, Radu (g/k).

Booked: Semenyo, Anthony, Neto.

Referee: Thomas Bramall.