Salah double sees Liverpool 9 points clear in the Premier League
Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 2, 1st February 2025
BOURNEMOUTH 0
LIVERPOOL 2 (Salah 30 and 75)
In today’s fast moving world of relentless professional football, this afternoon’s 2–0 win at in form Bournemouth will be lost in the fug of the Reds 4 upcoming games in the space of just 10 February days and across 3 different competitions too, but today’s win was as vital as it was celebrated by the faithful hordes in the Away End and even Arne Slot was a little more animated in his fist punch celebration to the adoring masses singing his name. For Liverpool never got out of second gear today, were caught cold at the beginning of each half and were largely second best for large periods of play to a dominant Bournemouth riding high as perhaps they’ve ever been in the Premier League. But Alisson Becker, when called upon, was unbeatable in the Reds goal, Antoine Semenyo rattled the corner of his post and crossbar on 20 minutes and with the game still in the balance at 1–0 substitute Marcus Tavernier curled a beautiful long range effort against the inside of his far post on 70 minutes and with the ball rebounding to in form Justin Kluivert and with an open goal at his mercy, the 25 year old Dutchman blazed high and wide.
Bournemouth deserved much more than the empty feeling of defeat today but no-one will remember this in the cold light of the white hot speed of today’s professional football. Nor will many people appreciate the dirty work and hard yards put in today by Luis Díaz or the game control exerted by Alexis Mac Allister. Even Alisson Becker’s saves on 12 minutes to deny Justin Kluivert an opening goal at his near post or the even better smothering save on 49 minutes that frustrated Antoine Semenyo will be as forgotten as his smart one-handed injury time save that prevented a twisted and deflected own goal that would have ruined yet another clean sheet for the giant in the Reds goal and Bournemouth, a late and last ditch frantic attempt for a draw. Today’s two goal hero Mo Salah was largely absent from the game too and barely had a kick in anger, yet he smashed his penalty on 30 minutes into the corner of a goal where no goalkeeper in the world can reach before curling an exquisite game sealing winner on 75 minutes that was footballing beauty personified.
The Egyptian King skipped past Frank Lampard to become the 6th all time top goal scorer in the Premier League in the process and now needs just 7 more to eclipse Sergio Agüero in 5th and another 3 to pass Andrew Cole as the 4th all time scorer and a position he’ll surely both attain and then retain for life. Unless of course he signs that damn contract extension (for life and even more goals) that seems to be if not, to continue the theme of this article, forgotten, certainly invisible. The top goal scorer in the Premier League continues to look lean and mean and, if you’ll permit me a lame and obvious rhyme, a goal scoring machine. More than this he’s in the prime of his life, the form of his life and for a man who’s often looked a little lost and unhappy in the Red shirt of Liverpool, as happy as I’ve ever seen him. Perhaps this happiness comes from the fact a contract is nearing his signature or, whisper it, because he’s determined to enjoy his final season with the Reds and he knows where he’s heading to after his summer holidays?
Perhaps best forgotten today was the performance of Trent Alexander-Arnold who provided yet more ammunition for the Children of the Matrix to fire at him, but that would be a sour note on which to conclude some brief ramblings on another game this season that shouldn’t be forgotten. For Liverpool are again 9 points clear at the top of the Premier League and after Arsenal’s game with Manchester City tomorrow they will again have a game in hand on the team from North London, with 15 Premier League games to go. Next up on Thursday are Arsenal’s best friends and neighbours Tottenham Hotspur in the 2nd leg of the League Cup Semi-Final and with a 0–1 deficit to overcome, one imagines a white hot Anfield crowd will be there to greet them.
Arne’s Afterword
“So, I said before the game that after our home game when we were 3–0 up at half-time, the way they came at us in the second half, I already knew what a great mentality this team has and quality as well. From that moment onwards they’ve done so well in the league. They’ve picked up points against so many good teams, not by luck, but because they’re intense. They have quality and that’s why we knew it was always going to be very hard and if you want to win here maybe you need a bit of luck as well because the margins are so small. Our penalty was just not offside and their goal to make it 1–1 was just offside. They hit the post twice, we had our chances as well, but it was a close call for us to win this game”.
“If you want to win here against a team that is so competitive then you need a team performance and work-rate. That’s what we have and you need some quality individuals that make the difference for you and that goal of Mo was absolute quality and the saves Alisson made as well. But it was not only them, the way our centre-backs were defending again today was also impressive. So, team performance and work-rate was incredible. It’s the only way to have a chance for a result and then you need good individual performances and positive margins”.
Thanks for reading. I pen my thoughts on every Liverpool game and in recent seasons, with the addition of numerous pieces of retro writing on Reds games of the past, I’ve curated and created the following two self-published books:
"A final word from The Boss" - link to Amazon
"Chasing the Impossible and a Sword of Damocles" - link to Amazon
Whilst you’re here I may as well brag about the release of my two recently self-published books. Both are free to read if you subscribe to Amazon Kindle “Unlimited” or reasonably priced in both paperback and hardback. Go on, treat yourself or a loved one and help out an Indie Author! Buy the books if you’re financially able to.
We HAVE to keep the spirit of reading books alive and well.
Thanks.
"still life, with gooseberry" - link to Amazon
"Rasputin and Raspberry Jam" - link to Amazon
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.