Liverpool Salah-vate crushing Cherries 0-4

Match Report

AFCB 0 v 4 Liverpool

8 December 2018

Attendance: 10,752

Mo Salah waits to get started.

Jurgen Klopp will no doubt be very pleased with how his team and the Mo Salah show. Bournemouth were dispatched with relative ease and helped along with some questionable refereeing from Lee Mason and his assistants. The over protection of Liverpool's players gave the Cherries little hope of being competitive in this match and with Callum Wilson rested with a hamstring strain, there was little to worry Alisson in Liverpool's goal. Mo Salah's triple finishing lesson was only interrupted once by a Steve Cook own goal, as Bournemouth crashed to their biggest home defeat of the season. The mad thing was that Liverpool could have played much better, but they didn't need to as the win came all too easily.

Simon Francis and James Milner in the middle.

There was an enforced change for AFCB with Lewis Cook out for the season and a bigger surprise that Callum Wilson would not be available. Andrew Surman and Junior Stanislas came into the starting line up for Eddie Howe's team while Marc Pugh made the sub's bench.

Cherry Chimes talks to Liverpool fans Lyon, Dean and Dinko.

There are more pictures on Match Day Gallery.

The match was fairly slow to get going with Liverpool passing from one side of the pitch to another while AFCB held station. There was a cheer when Aké tackled Mo Salah, while Francis was busy looking after Robertson as AFCB defended deep. 

Lee Mason wasted no time in awarding free kicks to Liverpool on a regular basis, while Fabinho was allowed to get away with as many poor challenges as he liked. Aké received the first yellow card for handball when Salah had looked well offside, after a ball played to the Liverpool striker over the top. Shaqiri could only hit the free kick against the wall.

A closer escape on 14 minutes when Wijnaldum played a ball over the top for Salah, but the Egyptian could only shoot at the side netting. 

Meanwhile, Jefferson Lerma was booked for a foul on Fabinho. Bournemouth were getting nothing from Lee Mason. Francis was at least playing well while Liverpool mounted up the corner count.

Josh King then sparked Bournemouth's attack into life with good close control and a shot that dribbled past the left post.

Fabinho was getting away with more poor tackles on Fraser, but Stanislas weaved the ball into Brooks who brought a save from Allison on 23 minutes, as Bournemouth started to look more comfortable.

Fermino then took aim from 18 yards and forced Begovic to spill the save right in front of an offside Mo Salah who smashed in the first goal, as the assistant referee did not flag.

Bournemouth were playing some good football out of defence, but there was the odd mistake from Lerma and Steve Cook. Brooks and Fraser were combining okay and Stanislas saw a shot deflected for a corner. Taken short to Stanislas the corner came in from Fraser with Aké on the far post unable to get a clean connection before Alisson gathered the ball.

Another Bournemouth corner saw Allison punch from right under his own bar. While Stanislas and King were causing problems, Liverpool were in control and Begovic had to catch cleanly from a Liverpool corner as we approached half-time.

Half-time and the boos are for Mr Mason.

Second half

Bournemouth could not have got off to a worse second half when Steve Cook lost the ball on half way and Mo Salah took full advantage to score and kill the game off at 0-2 on 48 minutes. 

Bournemouth were still looking to come forward with Fraser and King failing to get a shot off before Stanislas was blocked. Daniels also got a cross in the King put over. Lerma also tried to get shots off but was finding Liverpool good a blocking his attempts.

Mo Salah could have increased the lead when just in front of the six yard box but he scooped his shot over.

Simon Francis was making positive runs along with Fraser who had a cross come shot just drift past the Liverpool goal. 

Mané came on for Shakiri on 65 minutes and Lallana replaced Keita as Liverpool looked to step it up again. Bournemouth brought on Mousset for David Brooks at the same time.

A break by Liverpool meant more pain for Bournemouth supporters as Robertson crossed from the left and Steve Cook put past Begovic to make it 0-3 on 68 minutes. If Bournemouth thought things were going against them they could finally be pleased that Lee Mason had pulled out the yellow card out rather belatedly on Fabihno for fouling Lerma.

A quick throw caught Bournemouth flat-footed for Liverpool's fourth goal with Lallana threading a ball through for Sala who pulled Begovic out wide before cutting back and poking his shot past Aké on the line on 76 minutes.

Junior Stanislas was still motoring across the Liverpool defence before Daniels hit a fierce strike over the bar.  

Liverpool replaced Firmino with Hennderson on 81 minutes and Bournemouth subbed Daniels for Diego Rico to get a few minutes.

Liverpool kept pressing with a corner on 85 minutes, but Wijnaldum headed over. Lallana had to have some treatment for a head injury and came back in the five minutes of added time with no number on the back of his shirt. The final whistle was a well received- at least Bournemouth's goal difference was not going to be battered further.

Bournemouth suffer their biggest home defeat of the season.

Summary

Liverpool were always favourites for this game and while Bournemouth kept their shape well for the first part of this match, the opening goal made the even more defensive. The offensive game hardly got going and with King having to play pretty much on his own up front, it was difficult to get the ball to him. Wilson was a big miss and with mistakes from Steve Cook and only the runs of Fraser and Stanislas for Liverpool to marshal, it was Liverpool who dominated possession, helped by the referee's insistence that the away team should have the lions' share of free kicks. With Mo Salah's finishing, it was no  equal match up. Liverpool could hardly fail.

AFCB team

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Rico, Mings, Pugh, Ibe, Mousset, Defoe

AFCB Ratings

Begovic 5, Francis 7, S Cook 4, Aké 5, Daniels 5, Fraser 6, Surman 5, Lerma 6, Stanislas 5, Brooks 5, King 5

Cherry Chimes' MoM: Simon Francis

Ref Watch Lee Mason -4/10: Overly supportive of Liverpool players when being tackled and poor officiating throughout. Worst ref this season for Bournemouth. Let's hope we don't get him again anytime soon!

Liverpool

Alisson, Milner, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Shaqiri (Mané), Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Keita (Lallana)
Salah, Firmino (Henderson)

Liverpool Subs
Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Lallana, Mané, Sturridge, Origi