Liverpool 9-0 Bournemouth: Player ratings as Reds equal biggest margin of victory in Premier League era
By Sean Walsh
Liverpool picked up their first win of the Premier League season with a record-equalling 9-0 victory against Bournemouth.
Much had been made of the Reds' poor opening to the new campaign, and they sought to silence their doubters right from kick-off at Anfield on Saturday.
Liverpool took the lead just three minutes in to settle some early Anfield nerves. Roberto Firmino's looping cross was headed back into the top corner by Luis Diaz and, after a VAR check, the goal was allowed to stand.
The Reds doubled their advantage roughly 120 seconds later when Mohamed Salah's cut back was mis-controlled by Diaz, but Harvey Elliott came racing in to slot the loose ball into the inside of Mark Travers' net.
Bournemouth had a rare half-chance when a whipped free-kick was kept alive by Ryan Christie and Kieffer Moore got above Virgil van Dijk, but his header was tame and easy for Alisson to deal with.
Back down the other end, a weaving run into the box by Elliott ended with the teenager teeing up Salah at the back post, but he somehow fluffed his lines from a couple of yards out.
A half-volley from the Egyptian brought a top save out of Travers as Liverpool's early bombardment continued, before Trent Alexander-Arnold added a third. Bournemouth backed away from the right-back as he approached from 25 yards, and he punished them with an outrageous strike into the top corner.
Just after the half-hour mark, Liverpool made it four, with Firmino deservedly getting in on the act with a poacher's finish from six yards when a Salah cross took a wicked deflection off of Marcus Tavernier.
Ryan Christie's strike from just inside the penalty area struck Alisson's side-netting in another rare Bournemouth foray, but the Cherries were picking the ball out of their own net again just before he break after a Van Dijk header.
On the other side of the interval, Chris Mepham diverted an Alexander-Arnold cross into his own net as the visitors' afternoon got worse. Diaz was standing behind the Welshman when the ball was delivered but after a lengthy VAR check, he was deemed not to have been interfering with play.
Firmino should have made it seven after some wonderful work from Diaz to keep a loose ball alive, with the Brazilian dragging his shot wide.
But Liverpool's number nine did find the net again just after the hour mark after being first to react to Travers' parry from Andy Robertson's strike.
Without a single direct goal involvement all afternoon, Salah spurned another gilt-edged chance, firing over when one-on-one with Travers.
Fabio Carvalho, however, did grab a goal - his first for the club - with a sumptuous volley from just inside the penalty area after a lovely knock-back from Kostas Tsimikas.
The biggest wins in the Premier League era stand at 9-0 and Liverpool equalled just that when Diaz converted from a late corner.
Travers had to be at his absolute best to deny James Milner from slotting home a record-breaking tenth goal, but Liverpool had to settle for just the nine.
Liverpool vs Bournemouth player ratings
1. Liverpool (4-3-3)
GK: Alisson - 6/10 - Little to do but swept up well.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold - 9/10 - Back to his menacing best and got a goal for his troubles.
CB: Joe Gomez - 7/10 - Easily nullified the little threat that Bournemouth posed.
CB: Virgil van Dijk - 8/10 - Ditto, but also scored a goal, so he gets a higher rating.
LB: Andy Robertson - 8/10 - Popped up all over the place to pull Bournemouth apart. Deservedly grabbed an assist in the end.
DM: Fabinho - 8/10 - Admittedly Bournemouth aren't Man Utd but Fabinho's return allowed the Reds to play with more freedom.
CM: Jordon Henderson - 7/10 - Sprayed passes across midfield, though it was still notable that Liverpool need to upgrade in this area.
CM: Harvey Elliott - 8/10 - The perfect game for Elliott to prove his worth in, running at Bournemouth constantly in his 45 minutes on the pitch.
RW: Mohamed Salah - 7/10 - Contributed plenty to Liverpool's attack, but FPL managers will be pulling their hair out that he didn't tangibly offer more.
CF: Roberto Firmino - 10/10 - Ran the show. Scored his first Anfield goals since 2020 and was involved in three others.
LW: Luis Diaz - 10/10 - While the Colombian wasn't always as eye-catching on the ball, his improving attacking instincts will have delighted Klopp.
Manager: Jurgen Klopp - 10/10 - The perfect response. Couldn't have asked for more from his players.
SUB: Fabio Carvalho (46' for Elliott) - 7/10 - Slotted in seamlessly but the intensity died down after his introduction. Still grabbed a goal, mind.
SUB: Kostas Tsimikas (69' for Robertson) - 7/10
SUB: James Milner (69' for Firmino) - 6/10
SUB: Stefan Bajetic (69' for Henderson) - 6/10
SUB: Bobby Clark (83' for Alexander-Arnold) - N/A
2. Bournemouth (4-2-3-1)
GK: Mark Travers - 3/10 - Wasn't at fault for most of the goals, though he did concede a lot of them.
RB: Adam Smith - 1/10 - A nightmare afternoon. Way out of his depth. Hooked at the break.
CB: Chris Mepham - 2/10 - The least rubbish of Bournemouth's defenders and he still scored an own goal.
CB: Marcos Senesi - 2/10 - Only looked comfortable at 4-0 down, at which point the game was obviously over.
LB: Jordan Zemura - 1/10 - Torn limb from limb by Alexander-Arnold and Salah.
CM: Jefferson Lerma - 2/10 - Provided energy but was a little reckless at times.
CM: Lewis Cook - 2/10 - Similarly energetic but in a bit more control (though in such a defeat that's not necessarily a good thing).
AM: Ryan Christie - 3/10 - At least tried to get involved but that was a tough ask.
RW: Jaidon Anthony - 2/10 - The only reason Anthony will be remembered in this match is because he had to change his boots midway through the first half.
CF: Kieffer Moore - 4/10 - Put himself about but to little gain.
LW: Marcus Tavernier - 2/10 - See: Anthony, but without the boots.
Manager: Scott Parker - 1/10 - Why he didn't play anything remotely resembling a conservative system, I'll never know.
SUB: Dominic Solanke (46' for Smith) - 3/10 - Rarely involved on his Anfield return.
SUB: Philip Billing (46' for Christie) - 3/10 - Well, he's taller than Cook and Lerma, so he brought at least some physicality to the midfield.
SUB: Ben Pearson (77' for Cook) - N/A
SUB: Emiliano Marcondes (82' for Pearson) - N/A
SUB: Owen Bevan (82' for Mepham) - N/A