A comical lapse moments before Bournemouth’s goal is sure to have Arne Slot pulling his hair out in frustration.
Liverpool were hit by a brutal double blow as Bournemouth took the lead at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Reds had started reasonably well despite the blustery, rain-soaked conditions on the south coast, but the contest swung dramatically in the 26th minute.
A hopeful long ball should have been routine for Virgil van Dijk to deal with, yet a strangely casual moment from the Liverpool skipper allowed Alex Scott to dart in, square the ball to Evanilson, and the striker made no mistake by smashing it past Alisson to break the deadlock.
Gomez injured in chaotic goalmouth incident
To make matters worse, the concession of such a slapstick goal was followed by an unfortunate collision, as Alisson crashed into Joe Gomez while both desperately attempted to block Evanilson’s effort. The defender remained on the turf as Bournemouth celebrated.
Gomez, 28, appeared dazed as he eventually rose, and after being assessed, was deemed unable to continue. He was soon replaced by Wataru Endo.
Liverpool’s nightmare opening spell deepened further in the 33rd minute when Alex Jimenez timed his run to perfection, beat the offside line and coolly finished past Alisson to make it 2–0.
Centre-back concerns grow louder
The grim conditions mirrored Arne Slot’s likely state of mind, but the frustration went beyond simply falling behind. Being forced to introduce a midfielder in Endo to cover in defence highlighted a worrying lack of centre-back options.
That concern is only magnified by Ibrahima Konaté’s absence following the recent passing of his father. Yet, with reports suggesting Liverpool will only move in the January window if the “right opportunity” arises, Slot could find himself dangerously short in a key position.
Injuries aside, the Dutch coach will have been furious at how cheaply the opener was conceded, with Van Dijk culpable for failing to snuff out the initial threat in what was a basic defensive error.
Although the captain did pull one back in stoppage time before the break, Liverpool trudged into the dressing room at half-time with plenty to reflect on after a damaging first half on the south coast.
