• Mohamed Salah bagged a brace with two landmark goals
  • Bournemouth impressed despite defeat
  • It wasn't a victory devoid of negatives

A wasteful Bournemouth were consigned to a 2-0 defeat at home to Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.

Mohamed Salah's clinically taken brace was enough for Liverpool to edge out their spirited hosts, who squandered numerous chances to emerge with at least a share of the spoils from this lofty clash.

In the end, Liverpool held on to collect another victory and extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to nine points.

How the game unfolded

On a weekend when Arsenal go up against Manchester City, few could argue with Arne Slot when the Liverpool boss described his side's trip to Bournemouth as the "big one". Both clubs bounced into the weekend's contest boasting double-digit unbeaten league runs and each side started with the confidence such a streak provides.

Bournemouth had their first shot inside the opening 15 seconds while Dean Huijsen was forced into a last-ditch block on Luis Diaz before there were two minutes on the clock, setting the tone for an enthralling jab-jab, thrust-thrust encounter. Antoine Semenyo cracked an effort off the frame of Alisson's goal midway through the first half as the Cherries created the better openings.

However, it was Liverpool who took the lead. Cody Gakpo squirrelled around Lewis Cook, a natural midfielder shoehorned into Bournemouth's injury-ravaged backline, and tumbled after a tangle of legs. Salah made no mistake from 12 yards.

Andoni Iraola's hosts were rocked by that opener - which came against the run of play - but roared out to start the second half with renewed energy. Bournemouth rattled off three efforts after the break before Liverpool had a touch inside their box, rebuffed by a combination of desperate blocks and Alisson's imperious reflexes.

"If we want to take a point," Iraola warned pre-game, "we will need goals and we will need to be clinical." Justin Kluivert failed to fulfil his manager's brief. Buoyed by a blistering run of six goals in his last four appearances, the in-form Dutchman was presented with an open net to add to his haul. Marcus Tavernier's vicious effort clanked off Alisson's post and into Kluivert's stride only for his teammate to shank his effort wide six yards from goal.

Salah showed no such profligacy at the other end. Collecting the ball on the right-hand side of Bournemouth's box at the culmination of a swift counter-attack, Liverpool's finisher-in-chief bent a lazy curling effort into the far corner with 15 minutes remaining.

Bournemouth still found time for more opportunities, twice going close through Semenyo as they finished the contest with more of what Opta define as 'big chances' (four) than Liverpool managed (three). While they can take heart from their performance, the Reds return to Merseyside with three more points.