Mohamed Salah delivered the decisive blow as Liverpool survived a major scare to beat AFC Bournemouth 4-2 in their Premier League opener at Anfield.
The Egyptian star timed his run to perfection late in the game, latching onto a ball over the top before cutting inside and slotting into the bottom corner, sparking wild celebrations among the Anfield faithful.
The night began under a sombre mood as players and supporters paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who tragically passed away in a car accident in July.
Liverpool, parading big-money signings including British-record recruit Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké, made a strong start.
Ekitiké wasted no time making an impact, pouncing on a defensive lapse to score in the 37th minute. Cody Gakpo then doubled the advantage early in the second half with a composed finish, putting the champions firmly in control .
Bournemouth, however, refused to lie down, inspired by Ghana’s own Antoine Semenyo. The Black Stars forward first tapped in from close range before producing a sensational solo effort, becoming the first visiting player since 2022 to net twice at Anfield in the Premier League. His brace brought the score to 2-2 and silenced the home crowd.
celebrates scoring his team’s second goal . (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
With the game in the balance, Federico Chiesa ; whose future had been uncertain all summer pounced on a loose ball in the box and rifled past Djordje Petrovic to restore Liverpool’s lead. Salah’s late strike then sealed the points.
The match was not without controversy, as play was briefly halted in the first half after Semenyo reported racial abuse from the stands. Investigations are set to follow.
For new Liverpool manager Arne Slot, it was a rollercoaster introduction to their Premier League title defense and a reminder that defending the title will be anything but straightforward.
