Table-topper Liverpool resumes normal service

Goals in quick succession by Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane before half-time calmed the jitters after Callum Wilson had given Bournemouth a surprise ninth-minute lead. It was far from vintage Liverpool, however, and it struggled to finish off a Bournemouth side which almost grabbed a late equaliser through striker Wilson.

After Liverpool’s 44-match unbeaten league run ended in shocking fashion at Watford last week, victory restored its 25-point lead over second-placed Manchester City (57 points), which has two games in hand. Three defeats in its last four matches in all competitions had given Liverpool something of a reality check.

With the 22nd consecutive win at home, Liverpool only needs three more successes to be champion. It wants to finish in style, though, and that was missing initially against a Bournemouth team which is scrapping for its top-flight survival. Bournemouth’s goal left Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp apoplectic.

Wilson appeared to nudge Joe Gomez off the ball before passing to Philip Billing whose well-timed pass released Jefferson Lerma. Wilson, who had continued his run, met Lerma’s low cross with a simple tap-in. Nathan Ake almost made it 2-0 with a thumping header from a corner that was well saved by keeper Adrian, who was in for the injured Alisson.

Bournemouth’s problem all season has been its inability to avoid conceding needless goals and it was from a dreadful mistake that Liverpool equalised in the 25th minute. Youngster Jack Simpson had only been on the pitch a few minutes to replace injured skipper Steve Cook when he took a heavy touch and was robbed by Mane.

Mane’s ball to Salah was not the best but the Egyptian cut inside Lerma and drove home a low left-foot shot that beat Aaron Ramsdale. Mini-crisis over, Liverpool went ahead eight minutes later when Bournemouth again lost possession and Virgil van Dijk released Mane, who ran through unopposed to score with ease.