AFCB put few Aintree fences up as Liverpool romp to 3-0 win

Match Report

Liverpool 3 v 0 AFCB

14 April 2018

Attendance: 52,959

AFCB were unable to contain Liverpool at Anfield.

Liverpool wanted to keep their momentum going after their mid-week exploits in the Champions' League and AFCB were simply unable to find away of slowing them down. If the Grand National was won by a favourite, then so would this game. AFCB were one down in seven minutes when Mane gratefully accepted Begovic's failure to gather Mane's initial header and even though Liverpool had to wait until well into the second half for Salah glide his header over Begovic, rather delightfully, for the second, then Firmino's third added a bit of reality to Liverpool's performance. AFCB need to compete better than this to get something at Anfield, but they didn't have nearly enough on this day.

Eddie Howe made two changes with Marc Pugh being moved to the bench along with Callum Wilson, while Jordan Ibe and Josh King were to be starters. Lys Mousset was perhaps a bit unlucky not to get a start, while Tyrone Mings is still not able to get back into the squad yet.

Liverpool just made one change from their mid-week triumph over Man City as captain Jordan Henderson returned to the starting line up with James Milner moving to the bench. The match was shown live on BT Sport.

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First-Half
Bournemouth got everyone behind the ball from the start. Steve Cook made a good intervention to stop a through ball to Salah. The Cherries have three at the back but they are getting pushed back and it's more like a back five. I'd probably say 4-5-1 now or even 5-5 as AFCB build a wall of blue shirts.

Another good tackle by Steve Cook prevents Salah getting a shot off. Trent Alexander-Arnold finds Salah but he's shot wide. That was close on three minutes. Aké then stops Mane from getting through.

On four minutes the Cherries have got into Liverpool's half. Liverpool soon regain possession though. Firmino runs rings round Steve Cook and wins the first corner. Aké gets the header away. Henderson picks out Mane and his first header is saved, but he puts in the rebound on seven minutes. Henederosn was given far too much time to cross the ball and Begovic just didn't hold onto the headed effort. One-nil to Liverpool.

Ibe comes forward and shoots over from 25 yards. Liverpool have a free kick after Gosling's handball. Gosling won the header and AFCB wins a free kick.

Ibe gets hold of the ball. Bournemouth get some possession. Lewis Cook makes some good passes, but then miss-controls a throw from Aké.

Firmino tries a back heel but it doesn't come off. Mane is in again from a ball from Oxlade-Chamberlain, but it's offside.

Steve Cook with a long throw. It is cleared from the Liverpool box. Fraser asks too much of Ibe. Aké takes out Oxlade-Chamberlain on the break and is carded on 15 minutes. Begovic has let in a lot of free kicks of late!

Begovic is down well to palm out Alexander-Arnold's shot to his right. Salah gets another shot off with Begovic saving to his right.

Daniels shakes off attention form Salah. Ibe gets a free kick having been caught by Oxlade-Chamberlain and AFCB have a corner on 20 minutes. Karius punches and Liverpool have a free kick.

Mane is in again but Francis gets across to block for a corner. Bournemouth defend well before Man shoots wide. Ibe now gets a corner for AFCB.

Fraser is put in well by Daniels and the cross was finished by Defoe, but Fraser was offside. Creative but it didn't quite come off for the Cherries.

A loose pass by Francis and Salah is on it and shoots over! Begovic holds on to Robertson's cross. Bournemouth are getting a real examination here.

Henderson finds Robertson as a free man at the back who heads back across goal, and Lewis Cook has fouled Henerdeson. Steve Cook heads away and Salah's pass is out of reach of Wijnaldum.

King puts an aimless cross in which is easily cleared. Fraser just keeps out Robertson on Bournemouth's right. Defoe then pushes Lovren into Karius.

Gosling fouls Salah on half an hour. Hendersn and Salah make a one-two and Salah shoots wide with Steve Cook putting him under pressure. Aké just beats Salah to Mane's little chip. Steve Cook and Aké are certainly in a game. 

Oxlade-Chamberlain has a shot from distance that is deflected for a corner. Asmir punches one-handed away.

Salah's ball on for Mane is just a bit too strong and Begovic gets the ball first. Daniels puts in a cross and Gosling finds Defoe but he is offside.

Lewis Cook is in well. Aké ribs Salah just before he was going to shoot. Liverpool have a corner on 39 minutes that Begvoic claims comfortably. Akee has to put another cross out for a corner.
Ryan Fraser has to put a header over the bar for another corner. It's just good to see teh ball safely in Begovic's hands.

Liverpool come again. Aké gets the ball but it's soon coming back at AFCB. Francis is questioned about a handball but the referee sees nothing in it. Lovren makes a long chip forward and Mane heads wide.

One minute of added time goes up. It's a relief to get in at half-time just the one goal down. 0-1 at half-time. Ibe's had the only shot from AFCB in the first half. Defoe has just had three touches - and no, one was not the kick off as AFCB will kick off the second half.

Liverpool: Possession 67 per cent, Shots 10, Shots on target 3, Corners 6, Fouls 3

AFCB: Possession 33 per cent, Shots 1, Corners 2

The Liverpool machine was in full control.

Second half
Well AFCB do kick off, but we haven't go the ball anymore. Salah and Firmino do their tricks but AFCB hold firm. Gosling is robbed by Firmino, Franics heads out. Ibe comes away. Gosling goes down again.

Free kick to AFCB. Daniels will put it into Liverpool's box and King head's wide and was offside.King and Fraser on the ball but van Dijk is there. Aké gets back to Salah. Defoe gets a touch.

Firmino round the corner to Salah. Defoe wins a free kick off Henderson. Where's the yellow card? Foot up. Ibe is caught by Oxlade-Chamberlain and the Ox is yellow carded. on 54 minutes.

AFCB have still not really come into the game enough to threaten Liverpool. Liverpool are queueing up for a cross and van Dijk hits a long screamer that just floats over the middle of the goal!

Mousset is getting ready. Long throw from Steve Cook punched by Karius and Steve Cook shanks his ball back in. Ibe is well applauded off on 58 minutes as Lys Mousset comes on.

Daniels misplaces his pass just when AFCB were getting forward. Mousset gets his first run but Wijnaldum gets back and Firmino is offside. AFCB are starting to come into this.

Salah breaks and has a shot but Begovic is down well to his left to save and holds onto it this time. Steve Cook blocks Salah's shot.

Fraser is caught by Ryan Fraser. Lewis Cook brings the ball down well but Fraser can't find Defoe. Aké pushes Salah but the ball was running away from Salah on 68 minutes. Klopp is non too happy.

Alexander-Arnold finds Salah and he loops his header over Begovic to make it 2-0. For once Salah gets away from Aké on 69 minutes.

Callum Wilson comes on for Jermain Defoe. Mane has a shot just wide from outside the box. Andrew Surman is getting ready to come on.

Steve Cook comes forward and Fraser pulls it back to Francis who clears. Surman replaces Lewis Cook on 73 minutes. Oxlade-Camberlain puts Firmino in but getting round Begovic he finds Aké is back to clear the shot off the line.

King and Surman now Francis and Wilson is in and pulls it back to Gosling, but Henderson is there to clear for a corner. Surman chips it back in and King finishes but he's offside.

Saido Mane is replaces by James Milner on 77 minutes. Fraser to Francis and Lovren just takes it off Mousset's head - corner.

Salah against Steve Cook and now Liverpool have a corner. Francis wins a header. Aké tackles Salah and Oxlade-Chamerblain shoots over.

Into the last 10 minutes. King and Surman Fraser crosses and tries again. Francis puts the ball in and Mousset can't finish, but Gosling shoots and Karius saves! The corner misses all the AFCB players Salah is away but Firmino is offside. Klavern is on for Lovren.

King up to Wilson and he fires just wide. That was close! Two good chances for AFCB in the last minute.

Mousset beats two players, Surman out to Daniels and King fires a shot that's blocked by Milner. AFCB being allowed to play a bit now.

Begocic is out to beat Firmno to the ball. Gosling finds Daniels but Liverpool recover in their box well. Oxlade-Chamberlain shoots from the centre and screws the shot just wide of the left post.

Oxlade-Chamberlain finds Firmino on the left if the AFCB box and he beats Begovic on his near post. It's 3-0. The ball goes in between Francis' legs. King chips the ball that is headed away.

Aké and King to Mousset has lost the ball. Robertson hits his shot over on the break. Firmino has been subbed for Solanke.

Wilson is on side, now King, but his cross is blocked. That's it 3-0 to Liverpool.

Summary
The Cherries were just out thought, out ran and out played by a Liverpool side that dominated from start to finish. Today, there was little fight about AFCB and little we can say that was encouraging about the performance. You have to hold your hand up to Klopp's side that were just terrific. Henderson was given far too much space to play his long passes forward and AFCB didn't get close enough to Liverpool's midfield. Salah was kept quiet for much of the game by Aké and Steve Cook was AFCB's defender who was tidying up a lot of the time.

Nathan Aké and Steve Cook put in brave performance and Lewis Cook didn't give in and will have learnt a lot. But AFCB did not create anything much apart from a late shot from Gosling that could have gone in on another day and a couple of half chances for Callum Wilson. AFCB will try again on Wednesday against Man Utd, but we must see higher energy levels from AFCB for that game.

AFCB line up

AFCB subs: Boruc, B Smith, Simpson, Surman, Pugh, Wilson, Mousset.

AFCB Ratings
Begovic 5, Francis 5, S Cook 8, Aké 7, Daniels 6, Ibe 6, Gosling 5, L Cook 7, Fraser 6, King 6, Defoe 5

MOM: Steve Cook

Ref Watch Chris Kavannah: 5/10 I thought he missed an early yellow card for a Liverpool player but he had an easy game to referee. Perhaps Aké got away with a penalty shout against him for pushing Mo Salah.

Liverpool
Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren (Klavern 83), van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson,
Oxlade-Chamberlain, Salah, Firmino (Solanke 90+1), Mané (Milner 77)

Liverpool Subs
Milner, Klavan, Moreno, Mignolet, Ings, Solanke, Woodburn

No Cherry Chimes' T-Shirt winner this week :-(