Late targets from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah spared Liverpool’s blushes as they began their Premier League title defence with an exhilarating 4-2 win over Bournemouth.
Hugo Ekitike grabbed a aim and an help on his Premier League debut to place the Reds in management, just for Antoine Semenyo to attain twice to haul his facet degree.
Nevertheless, Arne Slot’s facet began their 2025-26 marketing campaign with a win, with Chiesa rising from the bench to attain earlier than Salah confirmed all three factors in stoppage time.
After a powerful begin, Liverpool had their lead eight minutes earlier than half-time when Ekitike bundled his well beyond Marcos Senesi earlier than inserting the ball previous Djordje Petrovic.
The Anfield crowd was on its toes once more 4 minutes after the restart when Ekitike teed up Cody Gakpo to complete, however the dwelling assist was quickly shocked into silence.
Semenyo diminished the deficit simply after the hour after turning David Brooks’ sensible cross dwelling earlier than levelling the scores 12 minutes later with a high quality strike previous Alisson Becker, having carried the ball from halfway inside his personal half.
Liverpool have been to not be denied, nonetheless, as substitute Chiesa reacted quickest to volley dwelling within the 88th minute, restoring their lead along with his first Premier League aim.
Salah’s breakaway effort then made sure of the lead to stoppage time as Liverpool went high of the early standings, having paid an emotional tribute to their late ahead Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva forward of kick-off.
Information Debrief: Ekitike shines as Salah goes degree with Cole
A lot of the speak forward of the sport surrounded the continuing switch saga between Liverpool and Alexander Isak, although Ekitike greater than made his mark on his Premier League bow with a formidable show right here.
Certainly, the striker turned solely the second participant to each rating and help a aim on his Premier League debut for Liverpool, after Darwin Nunez towards Fulham in August 2022.
And at 23 years and 56 days, Ekitike is the youngest participant to attain on his first Premier League begin for Liverpool since Victor Moses v Swansea in September 2013 (22y 278d).
However, as he all the time does, Salah needed to have his say. The Egyptian prolonged his file of matchday one targets within the Premier League, turning into the primary participant to attain 10 instances on the opening matchday of the competitors.
Salah can be now degree on 187 targets within the high flight with former Manchester United ahead Andy Cole, turning into the joint-fourth-highest scorer in Premier League historical past.
