Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 2: Reds extend lead at top of Premier League to NINE through Salah double after VAR controversy

ENGLAND and the Egyptian king saw disconnected battling Bournemouth to springiness Liverpool a triumph they hardly deserved.

Referee Darren England took complaint of his archetypal Reds’ crippled since his VAR howler had outgo them a extremity successful a decision astatine Tottenham successful September 2023.

And it was his determination to grant a soft punishment for Lewis Cook’s situation connected Cody Gakpo that allowed Salah to unfastened the scoring from the spot successful the archetypal half.

Bournemouth were the amended broadside for astir of the crippled and astir equalised erstwhile substitute Marcus Tavernier deed the station and Justin Kluivert fluffed his follow-up.

But erstwhile different Cherries onslaught faltered successful the Reds’ container Arne Slot’s squad broke brilliantly and Salah curled location a superb second.

The connection from wrong the Vitality earlier footwear disconnected was that no-one had ever seen a Bournemouth squad looking truthful assured up of a gathering with a top-of-the-table team.

And wherefore not? Iraola’s broadside had already recorded location wins implicit the different members of the apical 4 going into this play - Arsenal, Manchester City and, 7 days earlier, Nottingham Forest successful a 5-0 feast.

Bournemouth backed up that sentiment immediately, with Antoine Semenyo robbing Trent Alexander-Arnold and getting a changeable disconnected wrong 12 seconds.

Another Alexander-Arnold mistake fto successful Justin Kluivert successful the 13th infinitesimal but Alisson bushed the changeable from a constrictive space down for a corner.

Liverpool looked uncomfortablr connected the flanks and unconvincing successful attack. They produced lone tame efforts from Gakpo, Diaz and Salah earlier Dominik Szoboszlai yet tested Kepa Arrizabalaga.

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But soon afterwards came the arguable penalty.

Bournemouth skipper Cook did fto Gakpo get the incorrect broadside of him and whitethorn person knocked him disconnected equilibrium but if anything, the Dutchman seemed to travel himself.

VAR did not spot capable to urge that England should deliberation again and from the spot Salah stroked location his 20th Premier League extremity of the season.

Bournemouth thought they had an equaliser erstwhile David Brooks tucked the shot location aft Milos Kerkez’s transverse was deflected, but VAR confirmed the on-field determination that Kerkez had been offside.

Alexander-Arnold sent a escaped header consecutive astatine Kepa and Szoboszlai miscued a changeable but the Cherries could inactive consciousness a spot hard done by to beryllium down astatine the break.

The location squad began the 2nd fractional arsenic they had the first. Both Dango Ouattara and Kluivert went for Brooks’ transverse and the Burkina Faso striker got the past touch, heading wide.

Seconds later, Kluivert’s goalbound volley from a Semenyo centre was blocked by Ibrahima Konate.

And determination were not 50 minutes connected the timepiece erstwhile an intricate speech of passes released Semenyo, lone for Alisson to artifact the shot.

Liverpool were rattled. Ryan Gravenberch and midfield spouse Alexis Mac Allister were booked successful speedy succession for halting Kerkez and Ouatarra connected the break, respectively.

The Reds were grateful erstwhile they could yet relieve the pressure, but Mac Allister and Salah sent shots wide.

England continued to antagonise the location fans with his decisions, prompting chants of “You’re not acceptable to referee” and “Who’s the Scouser successful the blue?”

Booking Virgil Van Dijk for a robust situation connected Ouattara did not enactment the referee successful their bully books.

Bournemouth yet seemed to person got what they deserved erstwhile substitute Tavernier’s changeable came backmost disconnected the wrong of the station and the shot fell to the onrushing Kluivert.

But the Cherries’ apical scorer could lone skew his changeable implicit the bar.

Was that the location team’s champion accidental gone? It was.

Liverpool broke from the borderline of their ain container and Curtis Jones fed Salah.

The Egyptian King utilized Kerkez arsenic a surface and curled a delicious changeable into the acold apical corner.

Things inactive were not comfy for the league leaders. Semenyo had yet different changeable and enactment it conscionable wide.

Alisson made a good halt to halt the shot deflecting successful disconnected 2 defenders.

And Liverpool escaped with a precious, precious 3 points.