AFC Bournemouth
Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino both scored twice as AFC Bournemouth were beaten 9-0 by Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.
The Reds reached the break leading 5-0 thanks to goals from Diaz, Firmino, Harvey Elliott, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk.
Chris Mepham’s own goal made it 6-0 just a minute into the second half before Firmino, Fabio Carvalho and Diaz netted as Liverpool showed their class.
Jaidon Anthony was handed his full Premier League debut as head coach Scott Parker made three changes following the 3-0 defeat by Arsenal seven days ago.
Anthony, who impressed after coming on for the second half against the Gunners, was joined in the starting line-up by Lewis Cook and Ryan Christie.
Ben Pearson and Phil Billing dropped to the bench, while Adam Smith skippered the Cherries in the absence of injured captain Lloyd Kelly.
Dominic Solanke was also named among the Cherries substitutes, the striker returning to face his former club after recovering from a knee injury.
Mark Travers raced off his line to smother at the feet of Roberto Firmino as the Liverpool striker looked to meet a deflected cross in the early stages.
Diaz headed the Reds into a third-minute lead, the Colombia international meeting Firmino’s centre and powering the ball past the outstretched arm of Travers.
The goal stood following a VAR check for offside and a second arrived just three minutes later when Elliott fired an unstoppable drive past Travers from 20 yards.
Elliott, who played under Parker at Fulham, seized on the loose ball after Firmino had again been involved, the 19-year-old finishing with accuracy into the bottom corner.
Kieffer Moore’s looping header was saved by Alisson, the goalkeeper’s long clearance, intended for Mo Salah, cut out by Smith and played back to Travers.
Liverpool should have made it 3-0 in the 16th minute, Salah contriving to miss the target from close range following excellent link-up play between Firmino and Elliott.
Travers distinguished himself by pulling off a fine save to deny Salah, the Cherries goalkeeper tipping the Egypt international’s fierce volley over the crossbar.
Alisson hared off his line to beat Anthony to Christie’s through ball before Alexander-Arnold added a third goal for the hosts in the 28th minute.
Having initially lost the ball, he retrieved it and traded passes with Firmino before unleashing a venomous 25-yard drive into the top corner, giving Travers no chance.
Firmino, credited with a hat-trick of assists for Liverpool’s first three goals, got in on the act to make it 4-0 in the 31st minute, his first at Anfield since 2020.
There was an element of good fortune as the Brazilian frontman converted with a fine finish from close range after Salah’s cross had cannoned off Marcus Tavernier.
Andrew Robertson was unable to keep his header down from an Alexander-Arnold cross before Smith was booked for a foul on Diaz.
Christie created an opening inside the 18-yard box but his effort clipped the upright before Travers pushed Firmino’s strike around the post.
Van Dijk climbed above the Cherries defence to meet Robertson’s corner and head home Liverpool’s fifth on the stroke of half-time.
Liverpool added a sixth goal a minute into the second half when Mepham prodded Alexander-Arnold’s cross into his own net.
Firmino rolled a shot across the face of the goalmouth following good work by Diaz before Jefferson Lerma headed Tavernier’s free kick over the crossbar.
A short corner between Robertson and Fabio Carvalho led to Liverpool making it 7-0 through Firmino in the 62nd minute.
Although Travers parried Robertson’s delivery, the ball fell to Firmino who took a touch before slotting the ball home from inside the six-yard box.
Salah, picked out by Fabinho’s lofted pass, squandered a glorious chance to add his name to the scoresheet, lifting his effort over the crossbar.
Ben Pearson, who came on for Lewis Cook in the 77th minute, was injured as he challenged Stefan Bajcetic and had to be replaced by Emi Marcondes.
Carvalho made it 8-0 when he applied a fine finish after Konstantinos Tsimikas had cushioned Alexander-Arnold’s cross into his path 12 yards from goal.
Tsimikas provided the corner for Diaz to head home at the near post five minutes from time, the goal coming after Marcondes and Owen Bevan had come on for their Premier League debuts.
AFC Bournemouth: Travers, Smith (Solanke, h/t), Mepham (Bevan, 82), Senesi, Zemura, Lerma, Cook (Pearson, 77, Marcondes, 82), Tavernier, Christie (Billing, h/t), Anthony, Moore.
Unused subs: Stacey, Hill, Saydee, Neto (g/k).
Booked: Smith.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold (Clark, 83), Gomez, van Dijk, Fabinho, Robertson (Tsimikas, 69), Henderson (Milner, 69), Elliott (Carvalho, h/t), Diaz, Salah, Firmino (Bajcetic, 70).
Unused subs: Phillips, van den Berg, Adrian (g/k), Davies (g/k).
Referee: Stuart Attwell.
