Bournemouth 3-2 Liverpool: The Reds suffered a last-minute defeat on the south coast, but it was a defeat of their own making.
Arne Slott watched his team get beaten on the south coast (Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool’s hopes of retaining the Premier League title are long gone, but a season of disastrous defeat has sparked new turmoil at Bournemouth.
After a disastrous first half where goals from Evanilson and Alex Jimenez put them 2-0 down inside 35 minutes, Virgil van Dijk’s header and Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick seemed to seal a fifth successive league draw.
However, the Reds were unable to deal with a long throw from James Hill in stoppage time and allowed Amin Adli to score an incredible goal, handing the Reds their seventh league defeat of the season.
In the early battles, which took place in heavy rain and strong winds, Liverpool found their groove sooner and established the level of control they had hoped for.
Mo Salah, making his first Premier League start in two months, sent a shot over the bar from distance, but his link-up with Florian Wirtz ended when Hill blocked Szoboszlai’s shot.
read more: Virgil van Dijk takes responsibility for Liverpool’s heartbreaking loss to Bournemouthread more: Arn Slott and Alisson furious after Liverpool’s late substitutes hurt against Bournemouth
Hill was then involved in Bournemouth’s first crisis with a shot over the top, but it did not trouble Liverpool and gave little foreshadowing of the chaos that was about to unfold in the visiting defence.
Marcos Senesi’s forward long ball looked like a harmless threat to Van Dijk, but the Liverpool captain looked on and seemed to think it had fallen harmlessly out of play.
However, Alex Scott did not do so and the Bournemouth man barged in to find Evanilsson, who fired home, with Alisson colliding with Joe Gomez in the process.
With manager Arne Slott urging his players, especially goalkeeper Alisson, to kick the ball out, the Reds were unable to bring on Wataru Endo to replace the injured Gomez, sparking a nearly seven-minute inexplicable struggle.
Bournemouth scrambled home a last-gasp winner (Image: AFC Bournemouth, via Getty Images)
For some reason they didn’t, but the impressive Hill had the time and space to play Jimenez, who ran off the back of former Cherries Milos Kerkes and fired a shot.
Stunned and reeling in the chaos they had caused, Liverpool had no choice but to begin the long road back.
Wirtz’s shot went wide, but a flurry of pressure late in the first half halved the gap, before Szoboszlai’s corner was deflected wide of the goal by Van Dijk and into the far post.
Given a lifeline by their captain’s goal, and despite arguments that a move to Tottenham was imminent, the introduction of Andy Robertson for Kerkes at half-time saw Liverpool start the second half with possession, but could do little with it.
Ryan Grabenbirch came closest with a shot past the post by Djordje Petrovic, and after Slott brought on all five substitutes and shuffled his team, Szoboszlai’s pinpoint free-kick made it 2-2 with 10 minutes remaining.
But if that signaled a final push for the soon-to-be-dethroned champions, it fell short and Bournemouth were left reviled when Evanilsson’s shot went wide when it looked like he could have scored.
But don’t worry about Cherries. Liverpool will always give you another chance.
Hill caused chaos with a long throw into the visitors’ box in the 94th minute, and Adli sent the home crowd into a frenzy with the go-ahead goal.
Liverpool sank again.
