Liverpool strengthened their grip at the top of the Premier League table as Mohamed Salah’s brace guided them past a determined Bournemouth side in front of a lively crowd at the Vitality Stadium.
The Egyptian forward has now netted 178 league goals, surpassing Frank Lampard’s tally of 177 to claim sixth place in the Premier League’s all-time scoring charts.
Salah opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a well-executed penalty, awarded after Cody Gakpo was brought down by Lewis Cook. The Reds, however, had an early scare when Antoine Semenyo struck the post in a goalless first half.
Bournemouth, who have already beaten Arsenal, Manchester City, and Nottingham Forest this season, came close to equalizing on multiple occasions. Semenyo forced Alisson into a superb save early in the second half, while substitute Marcus Tavernier struck the inside of the post before Justin Kluivert squandered the rebound.
Ultimately, their failure to level the score proved costly as Salah delivered the knockout blow with a stunning curling strike, securing a crucial 2-0 victory for Liverpool.
The Reds now sit on 56 points from 23 matches. However, Arsenal reduced the gap to six points after thrashing Manchester City 5-1 at home on Sunday.
Salah Again Demonstrates His Importance to Liverpool
Liverpool, who last lifted the Premier League trophy in the 2019-20 season, are chasing their 20th English league title in their first campaign under new manager Arne Slot.
The Reds remain unbeaten in 19 league matches, a streak that dates back to their 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on 14 September. Despite their strong form, they had to work hard to overcome Bournemouth, who were unbeaten in 11 prior to this loss.
Slot had the luxury of resting several first-team players in their midweek Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven. However, even with key stars restored to the lineup, Liverpool had a nervy start as Bournemouth almost took the lead within the opening seconds, with Alisson denying Semenyo early on.
Bournemouth, who currently sit seventh and just a point off the top four, are enjoying one of the best seasons in their 125-year history as they push for European qualification. They were arguably the better side after halftime, but Liverpool’s defense and Alisson’s heroics kept them at bay.
Once again, it was Salah who made the difference. The Egyptian talisman continues to lead the Premier League scoring charts and has now scored 20 or more league goals in five different seasons—an achievement only surpassed by Alan Shearer, Sergio Aguero, and Harry Kane in the Premier League era.
Earlier this week, Slot expressed his desire for Salah to extend his contract with Liverpool. Discussions have already taken place with Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold about their futures at the club. The Reds previously turned down a £150 million offer from Saudi club Al-Ittihad for Salah in September 2023, but with his contract expiring at the end of the season, concerns remain that he could leave for free.
“Everyone wants him, including us—we want him to stay, that’s clear,” Slot stated on Friday.
With another game-winning performance, Salah reinforced just how indispensable he is to Liverpool, and the euphoric celebrations at full-time underlined the significance of this result for the title-chasing Reds.
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