Having both been involved in two of the season’s most electrifying Premier League matches last week, Bournemouth and Liverpool renew hostilities at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday lunchtime. The Cherries let a two-goal lead slip in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to leaders Arsenal, while Jurgen Klopp’s merciless men humiliated Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield.
Setting the tone for the match after just 9.11 seconds, Bournemouth scored the second-quickest goal in Premier League history at the Emirates through Philip Billing, and the rest of the five-goal thriller would appropriately live up to the billing.
The travelling Cherries faithful were in dreamland when Marcos Senesi doubled their side’s lead in the second half, but their two-goal advantage was quickly wiped out by Thomas Partey and Ben White before a last-gasp Reiss Nelson strike sparked arguably the wildest celebrations that the Emirates has ever seen.
Heads were in hands for the disconsolate Bournemouth players, but Gary O’Neil had every right to feel proud about his side’s efforts against the league leaders, having also bravely attacked Manchester City the weekend before during a 4-1 defeat. However, bravery alone does not put points on the board for Bournemouth, who are rooted to the foot of the Premier League table – behind Southampton on goal difference – but they only have a one-point gap to make up to Leeds United in 17th place and are by no means down and out.
Ending a four-game Premier League winless run at the Vitality Stadium would be the first step towards clambering away from danger for the Cherries, who have now suffered three defeats when leading by two goals this season – squandering 17 points from winning positions in total.
Klopp’s men have only won one of their last five away games in the top division, but no Bournemouth fans will need reminding of the 9-0 drubbing inflicted upon them at Anfield back in August – the Man United faithful can empathise there – and that thrashing marked a seventh Premier League win in a row for the Reds against their South Coast counterparts.
