Bournemouth vs Liverpool final score, result and highlights as Nunez and Jota send Reds five point clear

Dom Farrell

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Bournemouth vs Liverpool final score, result and highlights as Nunez and Jota send Reds five point clear image

Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota made light of Mohamed Salah’s AFCON absence as they each scored a couple of goals in Liverpool's impressive 4-0 win at Bournemouth.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are now five points clear of Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa at the top of the Premier League table, an outcome that felt far from certain after a closely fought first-half of few chances against Andoni Iraola’s in-form side.

But Uruguay striker Nunez found the breakthrough in the 49th minute, slotting home following excellent work from Curtis Jones and Jota.

Nunez then turned provider, barrelling through Cherries centre-back Illia Zabarnyi and feeding substitute Cody Gakpo to set up Jota for a dead-eyed finish.

There was a touch of fortune about Liverpool's third of the afternoon and Jota's 11th of the season. The man who replaced Salah sliced an attempt on the end of Premier League debutant Conor Bradley's cross but the ball spun kindly for him to clatter past Neto at the second attempt.

An injury to Max Aarons meant Bournemouth had to finish the match with 10 men and Nunez completed their misery with a smart close-range finish from Joe Gomez's searching right-wing delivery.

MORE: Where to watch Bournemouth vs Liverpool live stream, TV channel, lineups, prediction for Premier League game

Bournemouth vs Liverpool final score

  Full time Goalscorers
Bournemouth 0  
Liverpool 4 Nunez '49, 90+2, Jota '70, '79

Lineups:

Bournemouth (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Neto (GK) — 37. Max Aarons, 27. Illia Zabarnyi, 6. Chris Mepham, 23. James Hill, (5. Lloyd Kelly) — 4. Lewis Cook (29. Philip Billing), 10. Ryan Christie — 16. Marcus Tavernier, 19. Justin Kluivert (7. David Brooks), 17. Luis Sinisterra (14. Alex Scott) — 9. Dominic Solanke (21. Kieffer Moore).

Liverpool (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Alisson (GK) — 84. Conor Bradley (63. Owen Beck), 4. Virgil van Dijk, 5. Ibrahima Konate, 2. Joe Gomez — 10. Alexis Mac Allister, 17. Curtis Jones (42. Bobby Clark), 19. Harvey Elliott (38. Ryan Graveberch) — 20. Diogo Jota, 9. Darwin Nunez, 7. Luis Diaz (18. Cody Gakpo).

MORE: Bournemouth vs Liverpool prediction, odds, betting tips and best bets for Premier League match Sunday

No Salah, no problem as Nunez and Jota dazzle for Klopp

It’s worth remembering that Liverpool have done this before. Salah and Sadio Mane were both away during the early weeks of 2022 at the Africa Cup of Nations and Liverpool took the title race to the final day, coming within a couple of games of winning a quadruple.

Nevertheless, the prospect of taking on an in-form opponent away from home without Salah or the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold did not look like a particularly appealing one. Klopp was frustrated by the passive nature of his team’s performance during the first half. After the break they were sensational.

Nunez was at his imposing, all-action best — a constant menace to a depleted Bournemouth backline as he ticked on to 10 goals for the season in all competitions, having inevitably been involved in the build-up to both Jota’s goals. The Portugal international is as good a finisher as anyone in the division and now has 11 this term. Cody Gakpo was also very impressive from the bench. Even though any team in the world would miss Salah, Klopp has enviable depth and variety with it comes to attacking options.

Konate and Van Dijk keep Solanke at bay

Much of the pre-match discussion revolved around Dominic Solanke, the one-time Liverpool flop who is riding high in the Golden Boot standings with 12 Premier League goals this season. Even as Bournemouth matched their illustrious opponents before the break, he was forced to feed off scraps as Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate produced an imposing collective performance at centre-back.

Liverpool might be depleted at full-back and lacking the steadying hand of Joel Matip but this game in a squalling storm with grandstands tight to the pitch was an occasion for Van Dijk and Konate to relish. There was a spell where every set piece in each box seemed to find Konate’s head and it was no surprise to see him make a game-high nine clearances. Van Dijk put his body on the line to make five blocks in a match where there were only nine made by both sides.

Can Liverpool win the Premier League?

A rock-solid central defensive pairing, a stacked attack in the goals and a midfield that purrs nicely with Alexis Mac Allister back in action. It’s an attractive package. As Klopp knows all too well, Manchester City will take some beating and Arsenal, Aston Villa and Tottenham are all in close enough proximity.

The Reds’ boss mentioned December’s frustrating 0-0 draw against Manchester United as the moment when his new-look team took their pressing and counter-pressing to another level. The chances and goals are flowing. Liverpool scored four at Newcastle and four today. They could have had plenty more in both matches. 

Any title success would feel ahead of schedule after Klopp ripped up his midfield at the end of last season, but they’re evidently in a very good spot, clicking into gear at the right time and with a handsome lead to boot.

Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo
Getty Images

Bournemouth vs Liverpool live updates, highlights, and commentary

90th minute+5: Clark has a penalty shout as Mepham hangs out a leg. Nothing doing. Bournemouth spring up the other end. Moore is about 25 yards out and surely surprised to see Allison charging towards him. He puts his shot wide.

90th minute+4: Dear, oh dear. This is why Klopp didn't want a load of injury time. Konate has gone down awkwardly and landed in a heap. He's back up and hobbling.

90th minute+2: GOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! Darwin Nunez!!!!

Klopp seemed irritated by the massive period of stoppage time but his players continue to enjoy themselves. Gomez, back on the right, swings a cross into the far post. Mepham seems to lose where Nunez is, no mean feat given he's massive, and the Liverpool favourite is left with a simple finish.

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90th minute: Substitute Brooks glides through for Bournemouth but gets his dinked finish all wrong. That really should have been a consolation goal. We'll have eight additional minutes, which feels fairly unnecessary. 

86th minute: A miserable half for Bournemouth takes another turn for the worst as Aarons pulls up with what looks like a hamstring injury. Iraola already has a stack of injuries to contend with in defence. The hosts have also used all their substitutes and must finish with 10 men.

79th minute: GOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!! Diogo Jota!!!!!

Brilliant from Jota to wrap things up! The Portugal star's first attempt from Bradley's cross was sliced horribly but it spun kindly from him and he clattered past Neto in clinical fashion.

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77th minute Jones is left wide open from a corner on the Bournemouth left and lines up a half-volley. Unfortunately for Liverpool, his shot is closer to the top of the stand than the net.

76th minute: Aarons darts into the box and tries to tee up Solanke. There's more fine defending from Konate, but the Bournemouth full-back really should have taken on a shot himself there.

72nd minute: Liverpool looking for more, with Gakpo to the fore. He finds Bradley, whose cross intended for Nunez is too close to Neto.

70th minute: GOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!! Diogo Jota!!!!!

That could very well be that. Nunez is involved again and makes mincemeat of Zabarnyi. Gakpo takes up the attack and finds Jota to drill beyond Neto at his near post for this 10th goal of the season.

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64th minute: That's the last act of an industrious outing from Elliott, who is replaced by Gravenberch, while Gakpo replaces Diaz. The double change is perhaps a little surprising, with not other recognised first-teamers in reserve for Klopp.

63rd minute: A bit of a scramble from a Bournemouth corner and Kluivert can't force home amid some half-hearted claims for handball against Gomez. Now Liverpool break, it looks dangerous but Elliott get his cross all wrong.

57th minute: Jota, who has been outstanding since the restart, looks for Nunez and appeals for handball. Neither pitch is successful but there's a frenetic feel to things now and that's very much to Liverpool's advantage. Iraola has responded with a double change, introducing Kelly and Scott in place of Hill and Sinisterra.

54th minute: There's a much better attempt from Bradley, who catches a long-range effort sweetly. Neto is at full stretch to push it to safety.

53rd minute: Nunez stands up Aarons and dinks a cross to the back post, where Bradley should do much better.

51st minute: Bournemouth look for an instant response and Van Dijk deflects Kluivert's strike behind.

49th minute: GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Darwin Nunez!!!!!

Big goal for Liverpool and Nunez and it's a lovely one to boot. Jones takes Konate's long ball on his chest to find Jota, who sweeps a pass into Nunez's path and the Uruguay striker slots home.

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46th minute: Off we go again. No changes for either side. The Liverpool bench is a somewhat thinner than usual in terms of senior options.

Halftime: Hill hurls a long throw into the Liverpool box. Konate is first to it in his own area as well. That brings the interval. It's been a game of no goals, few chances but plenty of intrigue. Bournemouth started well, Liverpool got control of the game but were then back on their heels and probably happy enough to hear the whistle. We'll see you back here shortly.

45th minute+1: Konate gets up highest under pressure from Hill and heads Elliott's corner over. We're into two minutes of stoppage time.

45th minute: Mac Allister snaps in to win the ball from Kluivert, who wants a foul that isn't coming. Cook slices a clearance behind and then gives Kluivert an earful. We can assume he agrees with the referee.

44th minute: Solanke spins into some room inside the Liverpool box but his cutback is to no one in particular. Now Sinisterra finds Kluivert and Christie just can't get on the end of his low cross. Bournemouth finishing the half as they started it here, well on top.

41st minute: Kluivert dances into some space and has a shot bravely blocked by his compatriot Van Dijk.

39th minute: Clash of the debutants and Bradley whacks a shot from the edge of the Bournemouth box and Hill flings himself into the firing line. The hosts go up the other end and the impressive Tavernier sets up Christie for a shot that Alisson collects.

37th minute: Diaz is okay to continue and Jones has taken the opportunity to change his boots during the stoppage. Ooohhhh, nearly for Liverpool. Jota spins his man masterfully but can't quite pick out the on-rushing Nunez at the back post.

36th minute: Liverpool put the ball out for their teammate to get some treatment. No malice in that from Kluivert but it looks a nasty one on the replays as he arrives a fraction late and treads on Diaz's ankle.

34th minute: Diaz takes his turn to try own from 25 yards or so. The ball skids through some bodies but Neto pouches it with ease. The Colombia winger is now down injured after a challenge from Kluivert.

32nd minute: Sinisterra dances elusively through three challenges. Konate decides he's seen quite enough of all that and welts the ball into the stand. Bournemouth will hope that moment gives them a bump of momentum. The past 10 minutes of so have been hard going.

31st minute: Konate's raking ball reaches Diaz, who crosses for Nunez. The forward attempts a volley, connects only with fresh air and then blunders into Aarons to concede a free-kick. One of his slapstick moments.

29th minute: An excellent sliding challenge from Mepham on Diaz in the box ends Liverpool's latest attack but Klopp's men are well on top now and turning the screw.

26th minute: Bournemouth clear their lines but Bradley swings a lovely ball in from the right towards Konate and Van Dijk. It's another corner, which Van Dijk just failed to get on the end of after some excellent defending from Hill on his first Premier League start.

25th minute: Mac Allister picks Christie's pocket and feeds Nunez. The Uruguay striker is the latest to try his luck from distance but Neto sees it all the way. Now there's a slight mix up between the Bournemouth keeper and Hill. Under pressure from Nunez, the makeshift left-back concedes a corner.

19th minute: Mac Allister turns and drives through midfield. The Argentina star lines up a shot from range that he doesn't catch cleanly. It bobbles wide but it's the sort of day when those sort of speculative efforts feel like they have more value than usual.

18th minute: Tavernier skids a pass across to Sinisterra, who finds Solanke. The Cherries' top scorer can't bring the ball under his spell.

16th minute: Liverpool settling into the conditions with some nice spell of possession. Still no clear chances created, though, as Nunez is crowded out in the penalty area before Gomez hoicks a ball over everyone and out of play.

12th minute: Sinisterra skips past Bradley but his touch is too heavy and the ball runs out for a goal kick. Liverpool would do well not to leave the youngster isolated in those sort of situations too often.

11th minute: Cook coolly plays out of pressure near his own byline and Bournemouth get through the Liverpool press. Now a chance for Tavernier to play in Solanke but he overhits the pass.

7th minute: Tavernier works it short cleverly and fizzes in a low delivery that Alisson punches behind. After dealing with the resulting set piece, ALisson launches one long. Nunez is interested but Christie scampers back to head into Neto's arms.

6th minute: Sinisterra wins Bournemouth's third corner off Elliott. Rain is lashing down now.

1st minute: We're underway and Bournemouth win an early corner. They take it short. Booooo! Boot it into the wind and see what happens! Then Konate is forced to clear Cook cross out of the goalmouth. A second corner is cleared at the near post but it's an enterprising start from the hosts.

5 mins from kickoff: Here come the teams. Storm Isha is howling around the Vitality Stadium on England's south coast. It could make playing conditions tricky. Perhaps a scrappy encounter will suit a high-octane Bournemouth with their home crowd behind them.

15 mins from kickoff: Bournemouth will pin their hopes on Dominic Solanke, which has worked out pretty well so far this season. The 26-year-old striker has 12 Premier League goals to his name, something of a contrast to his time at Liverpool when he managed a solitary competitive goal. Jurgen Klopp had some warm words for his former player at the pre-match press conference.

I'm so happy for Dom because when we signed him we were all so excited about the talent he had.He had so much potential but it is Liverpool and we had other good strikers as well.

He was probably not the most clinical yet but the talent was obvious. It was the right decision to go to Bournemouth, last season he scored enough goals but this season he is up there with the greatest.

He is a really talented kid, I'm very happy for him.

30 mins from kickoff: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson all being unavailable means Conor Bradley makes a bit of Premier League history today. The 20-year-old will be the first Northern Irish player ever to feature for the Reds in the English top flight, which broke away from the Football League in 1992. The previous Northern Irishman to represent Liverpool in the league was Sammy Smyth in 1954.

1 hour prior to kickoff: Hello and welcome to the Sporting News' live coverage of Bournemouth vs. Liverpool in the Premier League. Let's get straight to it with the confirmed team news. This is how the hosts line up:

And this is what the Liverpool team looks like. Jurgen Klopp's injury problems in the full-back areas means a Premier League debut for 20-year-old Conor Bradley.

Bournemouth vs Liverpool lineups, team news

Andoni Iraola makes three enforced changes to the Bournemouth team that lost 3-1 at Tottenham on New Year’s Eve.

Marcos Senesi is suspended, while Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo are away at the AFCON. James Hill, Chris Mepham and Max Aarons come into the XI.

Bournemouth (4-2-3-1, right to left): Neto (GK) — Mepham, Hill, Zabarnyi, Aarons — Cook, Christie — Sinisterra, Kluivert, Tavernier — Solanke.

There are four changes to the Liverpool team that beat Newcastle 4-2 in their previous Premier League match. Conor Bradley makes his Premier League bow at right-back in place of the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold. 

Harvey Elliott and Alexis Mac Allister come into midfield, while Diogo Jota is charged with filling the Salah void in attack.

Liverpool (4-3-3, right to left): Alisson (GK) — Bradley, Van Dijk, Konate, Gomez — Mac Allister, Jones, Elliott — Jota, Nunez, Diaz.

Bournemouth vs Liverpool live stream, TV channel

Here's how to watch this Premier League match across selected areas of the world's major regions:

Region TV Streaming
USA NBC USA Network, Telemundo Fubo, NBC app/website, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo
Canada —

Fubo Canada
UK Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League Sky GO, Now TV
Australia — Optus Sport
India Star Sports Select 1, Star Sports Asia 3 JioTV, Hotstar

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USA: This game is available on the NBC USA Network with streaming options on Fubo. Telemundo is the place to go for Spanish speakers.

Canada: Every Premier League game this season is live streaming exclusively via Fubo in Canada.

Australia: Fans in Australia can stream every match live and on demand on Optus Sport.

UK: This match is available for live broadcast via TNT Sports with streaming options on discovery+.

MORE: English Premier League table 2023/24: Updated EPL standings as Liverpool leapfrog Arsenal

Dom Farrell

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Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.