Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool: Philip Billing strikes for strugglers to deal Jurgen Klopp’s side top-four blow
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Updated 11/03/2023 at 21:29 GMT
Having won the reverse fixture 9-0 and beaten Manchester United 7-0 in their previous match, Liverpool would have been expected to continue their top four charge at relegation-threatened Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday. However, a Philip Billing goal and Mohamed Salah missed penalty handed an unexpected and unlikely three points to the home side.
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Philip Billing grabbed a shock winner as Bournemouth surged out of the relegation zone with a stunning 1-0 victory over a woeful Liverpool at the Vitality Stadium.
The Merseysiders had hoped to build upon last week’s 7-0 rout of Manchester United and bolster their top-four push, but they produced a lacklustre performance that was summed up when Mohamed Salah blazed a second-half penalty wide.
Jurgen Klopp’s visitors had started well, but failed to convert a series of early chances through Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson before the home team stole in front on 28 minutes.
The excellent Dango Ouattara had earlier fired into the side netting after rounding Alisson but he made amends with an explosive run and cross down the right that allowed Billing to arrive on cue and tuck in his sixth league goal of the campaign.
Liverpool struggled to carve out chances in a tight second period but had a golden opportunity to level 20 minutes from time. VAR intervened when Adam Smith blocked substitute Diogo Jota’s goal-bound header with his arm and a penalty was eventually awarded.
However, Salah fluffed his lines with a shocking spot kick that flew well wide of goal and Bournemouth held on to secure a famous triumph.
The result sees Gary O’Neil’s men climb off the foot of the table and rise up to 16th spot ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures. Liverpool stay fifth, three points off fourth but could lose further ground on that final Champions League berth if results don’t go their way.
Liverpool will now switch focus to their Champions League last-16, second leg at Real Madrid. Bournemouth visit Aston Villa next Saturday.
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This was a big opportunity for Liverpool to continue to build momentum – and they blew it.
Buoyed by the feel-good factor of that 7-0 destruction of Manchester United, it was all set up for The Reds - and that 'new' front three - to fire themselves into the top four (on goal difference) ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures and lay down a real marker of intent.
Instead, the familiar problems that have blighted their underwhelming season once again came to the fore. The top-four push remains viable but failing to see off a rock-bottom side who have leaked goals for fun won’t do much for their confidence and will have left Kopites completely perplexed.
Seven league matches in April will ultimately decide their fate and although fixtures involving Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham look tough on paper, it may well work in their favour as the Merseysiders seem to rise to the occasion on the big stage.
As for Bournemouth, this was just their second win over Liverpool in 19 matches and was the perfect tonic following the manner of their last-gasp defeat at Arsenal last time out.
The new signings have really added an extra dimension to this team and a result like this will give them real confidence they can survive and help put to bed some of the memories of that 9-0 loss at Anfield earlier in the season.
Player of the match - Dango Ouattara (Bournemouth)
The £20m January signing from Lorient continues to sparkle for The Cherries and could yet prove to be a shrewd acquisition in their quest to beat the drop. The 21-year-old made Van Dijk look ordinary in the first half and capped a direct, pacy display with another assist.
Player Ratings
BOURNEMOUTH: Neto 8, Smith 7, Stephens 8, Senesi 8, Kelly 8, Lerma 8, Rothwell 8, Billing 9, Ouattara 9, Anthony 8, Solanke 8. Subs: Christie 7, Fredericks n/a, Cook n/a, Vina n/a, Semenyo n/a.
LIVERPOOL: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 5, Konate 7, Van Dijk 5, Robertson 5, Fabinho 5, Bajcetic 5, Elliott 5, Salah 4, Gakpo 6, Nunez 5. Subs: Jota 6, Milner 6, Firmino 5, Henderson 6, Carvalho n/a.
Match Highlights
06’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Van Dijk rises highest to meet TAA's right-wing corner, but his thumping header is nodded off the line by Lerma.
11’ – BOURNEMOUTH CHANCE! Solanke turns well and sends Dango Ouattara clear on Alisson. The Cherries forward rounds Alisson but then fires into the side netting from a tight angle.
28’ – GOAL! – Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool. The visitors are caught out by another run in-behind from Ouattara. The forward charges to the right byline and fires it across for Billing to arrive and steer home.
41’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE! Van Dijk somehow contrives to nod a close-range header wide from a right-wing free kick.
70’ – LIVERPOOL PENALTY MISS! Salah steps up and fires his spot kick well wide with Neto diving the opposite way. The penalty was awarded after Jota's far-post header hit the arm of Smith and deflected behind. VAR checked and the referee went to the monitor before eventually awarding it.
Key Stats
Billing has scored six goals in the Premier League this season, twice as many as he’d bagged in his previous three campaigns in the competition combined (3 in 77 apps).
Liverpool have lost consecutive Premier League matches against opponents starting the day bottom of the table for the first time since December 2010-February 2011 (vs Wolves and West Ham respectively).
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