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Jan 21, 2024 13:28-05:00

Liverpool player ratings vs Bournemouth: No Mo Salah, no problem! Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez demolish Cherries to keep table-topping Reds rolling

The forward duo both scored twice as the Reds put on a second-half show to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League table

Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez proved to be a deadly duo as their clinical displays helped Liverpool to a 4-0 win against Bournemouth, showing the Reds know how to get the job done despite Mohamed Salah's absence.

Jota set up Nunez for the all important opener early in the second half before the Portuguese grabbed two goals of his own and Darwin struck again in stoppage-time to kill things off.

Jurgen Klopp's team were tame in the first half as they failed to have a shot from inside the Bournemouth box. They always showed the promise of creating some danger, however, and the team came together nicely in the second period when Ibrahima Konate's long pass found Curtis Jones, and the midfielder moved it onto Jota to tee up Nunez.

Then, with 20 minutes left, the ex-Benfica star played the ball on to substitute Cody Gakpo who found Jota and the attacker fired in a fine finish. Then, Conor Bradley passed to Jota in the box, who after messing up his initial shot, blasted it home, before Nunez rounded off the game with a fine finish from Joe Gomez's cross.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Vitality Stadium...

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Goalkeeper & Defence
Alisson Becker (6/10):
Didn't have too much to do as Bournemouth managed just one shot on target, but had one nervy moment midway through the second half.
Conor Bradley (7/10):
Had a rough time up against Sinisterra but put in a lot of effort and was good on the ball. Found Jota with a smart pass for the third.
Ibrahima Konate (8/10):
Solid in the air and his dangerous long passes helped make Liverpool a threat when other paths through proved fruitless.
Virgil van Dijk (7/10):
Made two good blocks late in the first half and did well to keep Bournemouth from threatening Alisson.
Joe Gomez (6/10):
Did not have a good game on the left up against Marcus Tavernier in the first half, but was better in the second, culminating in the cross for the fourth goal.

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Midfield
Harvey Elliott (6/10):
Worked hard throughout, put in some good tackles and offered support to Bradley.
Alexis Mac Allister (7/10):
Fought hard to win the ball and attempted to carve out some quick attacks against a sturdy Bournemouth.
Curtis Jones (6/10):
Stable on the ball and worked hard to win it in the midfield. Helped create the first goal with the ball to Jota.
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Attack
Luis Diaz (5/10):
Not nearly as influential as the other two attackers despite seeing plenty of the ball.
Diogo Jota (9/10):
Always looked most likely to create something and got his reward with the assist for the first goal and then smashed in two of his own.
Darwin Nunez (8/10):
Energetic and always looking to get into dangerous spaces - paid off when he rolled in the opening goal and then added his team's fourth.

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Subs & Manager
Cody Gakpo (7/10):
Slotted into the attack well and set up the second goal.
Ryan Gravenberch (6/10):
A smart addition to the midfield in place of Elliott.
Owen Beck (5/10):
On for the last 10 minutes and didn't get much time to influence.
Bobby Clark (6/10):
Got on the ball and tried to get forward in just his fourth senior appearance.
Kaide Gordon (N/A):
On in stoppage-time.
Jurgen Klopp (7/10):
His team were rather flat in the first half but totally deserved the win based on their second-half performance. The two changes he made midway through the second period provided a bit of a boost as the Reds overpowered their hosts.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Midfield

Attack

Subs & Manager