Key events
Slot is then asked about the football … and the answer becomes another pitch-perfect tribute to Diogo Jota. “It was a great game to watch … this is what makes football great … three parties involved that wanted to play a very nice game, us, Bournemouth and the referee … high-tempo … no time-wasting … no diving … just keep on playing … this is what makes football so nice … going two up, 2-2, they just kept on going after 2-0 down, a big compliment to them not to give up … keep on fighting … then we did the same after we conceded the 2-2 … our fans at that moment, and before the game, through You’ll Never Walk Alone and the tribute for Diogo, the banner they had … all together it should be about that … we’ve lost many players during the summer, but we didn’t lose our mentality … everyone is asking me the same question, you have a lot of new players … yeah, the reality is we’ve lost a lot of players as well, more than we got … but it’s normal if you bring such talented players in and you won the League last season … normally when it was 2-2, you know which player I would have looked at, at that moment in time … I would have loved to bring Diogo Jota in … but now I couldn’t for terrible reasons … but now the fans and players who are still there did what he did for us so many times in the past.”
Arne Slot talks to Sky Sports, first about the racial abuse directed at Antoine Semenyo. “The club made a clear statement … we don’t want this in football … we don’t want this in the stadium to happen … but especially not at Anfield … so we should talk about that for a long time, because it’s unacceptable that should happen in a stadium, let alone at Anfield … and that unfortunately gets the shine off … because our fans were unbelievable when you talk about their tribute for Diogo … but what happened over there is definitely … I didn’t hear it, I only can say that this should definitely not happen in a stadium.”
Liverpool have issued a statement on the Semenyo incident. “Liverpool Football Club is aware of an allegation of racist abuse made during our Premier League game against AFC Bournemouth.
“We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society or football.
“The club is unable to comment further as tonight’s alleged incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which we will support fully.”
Andoni Iraola speaks to Sky. “Antoine and the referee explained the situation … to be fair, the person has been identified … it’s a shame because after a really great game of football we have to be talking about these things today … we should have been past this stage but there are still people who don’t behave correctly … it’s a shame … Antoine did what he had to do … I don’t think he lost his mind … it’s a big shame … the Liverpool manager and players feel it … even if it’s a Liverpool supporter, for sure they don’t want him with them … [Semenyo] was in the heat of the game, you continue playing and focus on what you have to do … he continued playing very well … now we have to go to talk to the police and officials … now he will have it in his head for sure and it shouldn’t be like this.”
The Premier League have issued a statement regarding the Semenyo incident. “Tonight’s match between Liverpool Football Club and AFC Bournemouth was temporarily paused during the first half after a report of discriminatory abuse from the crowd, directed at Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.
“This is in line with the Premier League’s on-field anti-discrimination protocol.
“The incident at Anfield will now be fully investigated. We offer our full support to the player and both clubs.
“Racism has no place in our game, or anywhere in society. We will continue to work with stakeholders and authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.”
Bournemouth captain Adam Smith speaks to Sky about the racial abuse suffered by Antoine Semenyo. “It’s totally unacceptable … I’m kind of in shock that it happens in this day and age … it shouldn’t be happening … I don’t know how Ants played on and come up with the goals … he’s a little bit down … to carry on playing … something has to be done … taking a knee is having no effect … we’ll support him in there … hopefully he’ll be OK … to be honest I wanted him to react [after scoring his goals] because that’s what I would have done … I would have gone straight over there … but that shows what type of man he is … to not even react when it happened, to carry on … fair play to Ants … I was angry … shocked … to be fair the Liverpool players were very supportive towards Antoine and the rest of the team … I think it was handled in the right way … but yeah, I’m so angry … I don’t know what else we can do … I just don’t know what to say any more … I just feel sorry for Ant in there, that he’s had to take that tonight, and the whole country’s watching … for that to happen is shocking.”
Player of the match Hugo Ekitike talks to Sky. “It was a good performance … I could do better … the most important thing was the win … we needed to win for the people who came tonight and for Diogo … and that’s what we did so I am happy for everybody … I have so many things to do better … I can do a lot of things and I think I will get better to do even more for this team … there is so much more space in Germany … we have to find the way to succeed … I always dreamed to play in the Premier League so I enjoy every minute here … the fans at the end, when it was 2-2, they pushed so much even on the bench I enjoyed, I wanted to be in the crowd! … we have so much to do to get better and reach our goals … [upon being given his award] it’s great, I want more.”
A word on Federico Chiesa’s celebration. He gave the Liver Bird a good old slap with his palm upon scoring. A suggestion that he’d quite like to stay at the club a little longer, despite all those rumours linking him away? It was all soundtracked by a loud and long chorus from another of the Kop’s favourite songs.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah advances towards the Kop as its denizens trill Diogo Jota’s song. They applaud each other. It continues. Oh his name is Diogo. Salah’s eyes redden. His lip quivers. A couple of tears form. The poor guy’s trying not to sob. Not that he has to, but he just about manages to keep it all in. For now. The moment too much for him. The grieving star dries his eyes with his sleeve before turning and heading down the tunnel. When Diogo’s Song comes to its natural finish, the Kop segue into their Salah number. Yet another difficult, and yet so heartwarming, watch.
As the Liverpool players celebrate their win, Arne Slot heads straight for Antoine Semenyo. He offers a hand-clasp of friendship, and no doubt apology for one no-mark’s miserable actions, then a hand on the shoulder and a thumbs-up. Semenyo nods his acceptance, a touching moment between two gentlemen. That’s a welcome scene after a very unsavoury incident.
FULL TIME: Liverpool 4-2 Bournemouth
The whistle goes, Anfield erupts … in Diogo Jota’s song.
90 min +6: Chiesa and Salah are the heroes, but Jamie Carragher names Ekitike as man of the match.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-2 Bournemouth (Salah 90+4)
Salah has done less than nothing all evening … but now he seals the deal for Liverpool! He gets on the end of a long pass down the left, cuts into the box, makes enough space for the shot, and lashes a low shot into the bottom right. He turns to the Kop and performs Diogo Jota’s Baby Shark celebration … with some feeling. That’ll have stung the palms. What an outpouring of emotion. Doo-doo do doo-do doo!
90 min +3: Chiesa combines with Salah to win a corner down the right. Liverpool play it short; now it’s their turn to work the clock.
90 min +2: Liverpool half-clear the corner, then Chiesa, the hero of the moment, wins a cheap free kick to release the pressure on the hosts.
90 min +1: The first of six additional minutes sees Bournemouth trade a corner from the right for another on the right. Anfield is bouncing, but also nervous. Bournemouth are pressing hard.
90 min: Bournemouth aren’t giving this up. Of course they’re not. Semenyo causes confusion down the right and wins a corner. Before it can be taken, Kroupi and Hill come on for Smith and Adams.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-2 Bournemouth (Chiesa 88)
Salah crosses from the right. Petrovic palms clear under pressure from Jones … but only into the road of Chiesa, who gently carves a delicious finish into the bottom-right corner from ten yards! His second touch. The Kop erupts!
87 min: Salah tries to spin Truffert down the right and is cynically checked. Bournemouth’s new left-back is fortunate not to go into the book. The resulting free kick leads to a spot of head tennis in the Bournemouth box, but Petrovic was never in serious danger.
86 min: Van Dijk looks long for Jones. The pass is Kop-bound. Whisper it, but the champions are getting desperate.
84 min: Bournemouth replace Brooks with 20-year-old midfielder Ben Winterburn. They make the substitution slowly, with clock management very much in mind. They’ve earned the right.
82 min: Wirtz comes off, replaced by the lesser-spotted Chiesa. “Ok, yes, football is ‘just a game’,” begins Matt Dony. “But it’s not, is it? It’s more than that. It’s a huge part of our lives. It’s responsible for some of the most amazing days of my life. My son’s first trip to Anfield saw Jota score THAT last-minute winner against Spurs right in front of us. Football is a big, brilliant thing. And it makes so furious that fans can be so idiotic, so hateful, so wrong. Every club has tools in its fan base. Yours, mine, everyone’s. And it’s all of our jobs to call them out. Forget tribalism. Forget excuses. Get rid of them. It’s OUR game. Not theirs.”
81 min: Evanilson is booked for hauling back an in-flight Szoboszlai.
80 min: Jones slides a left-to-right pass towards Szoboszlai on the right. Szoboszlai takes a touch and aims for the top left. The shot’s all wrong. Into the Kop it goes. Salah, on the penalty spot and screaming for a cushioned pass, is livid.
78 min: Anfield is comparatively silent. But not through shock. Bournemouth have come at them, and come at them real good. That equaliser was in the post.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-2 Bournemouth (Semenyo 76)
Salah advances down the right but his poor cutback evades the nearby Szoboszlai. Bournemouth break at speed, and with great purpose. Liverpool are light, and they pay the price. Semenyo runs at Konate and Van Dijk down the inside-right channel. Neither defender makes a decisive move, and Semenyo grabs his opportunity, forensically fizzing a low shot into the bottom corner. What a goal! What a comeback! What a performance by Semenyo in the face of that abuse.
74 min: Bournemouth make their first change. Scott is replaced by Traore. “Liverpool FC should highlight Semenyo’s tormentor on their video screens before the next home game and shame them publicly as they announce a lifetime ban,” suggests Justin Kavanagh. “But the Bournemouth player has given the perfect reply on the field… the angle of his run for that goal was perfection.” Yes, a penny for the thoughts of Semenyo’s abuser when that goal went in. Not that those thoughts are worth that much money.
73 min: Gakpo has the opportunity to release Robertson into the box on the overlap down the left, but gets the ball stuck under his feet. That just about sums Liverpool up over the last few minutes. Meanwhile Gray from Wexford writes: “A lot of talk about Ekitike’s finishing. Mo Salah misses lots of chances but it doesn’t impact how he approaches the next shot. Most forwards miss lots of chances but it depends on when and what happens next. Ekitike has now opened the scoring in two games. A small subset but that is having a major effect on scorelines. All we can do is see how it plays out over time.”
72 min: Liverpool make another double change, and it’s a defensive one. Gomez and Jones come on for Ekitike and Mac Allister. Gomez, returning from long-term injury, goes to right back and Endo moves into midfield.
71 min: Liverpool are all over the shop. They can’t get near Brooks and Tavernier at all. Some pinball in the box. Then Evanilson flicks a header over the bar. It feels like an equaliser is coming.
69 min: Tavernier wins another corner down the left. Liverpool deal with it easily enough, but the hosts don’t look comfortable now. Bournemouth sniffing around for an equaliser. Should they get one, you’d have a hard job arguing that they don’t deserve it.
68 min: Brooks and Tavernier have caused Liverpool quite a few problems down the left. They combine to win a corner off Konate. Alisson claims it, and then skelps a long kick down the inside-right for Salah, who has the opportunity to break into the box and shoot, but he’s out of sorts and runs into trouble. The ball rolls apologetically out for a goal kick.
66 min: Wirtz tries to summon an instant response with a couple of crosses from the right. Neither are up to much. He’s been quiet on his Premier League debut so far.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth (Semenyo 64)
Szoboszlai loses the ball and suddenly Brooks is sent racing down the left flank. Brooks curls a low cross just behind Van Dijk, who is out of the picture. Semenyo arrives and dinks over Alisson. What a break, what a cross, and what a finish!
63 min: … but then another Liverpool goal would put the lid on it. Szoboszlai combines with Salah down the right and rolls a pass across the face of the box. Wirtz tickles a first-time shot towards the bottom left. It rolls inches wide. Petrovic probably had it covered, but it was a close-run thing.
