Bournemouth brought Liverpool’s 13-match unbeaten streak to an abrupt end on Saturday, as Amine Adli struck in the 95th minute to seal a pulsating 3-2 victory at the Vitality Stadium.
The Cherries looked firmly in control after first-half goals from Evanilson and Alex Jimenez gave them a two-goal cushion.
Liverpool, however, responded with determination, drawing level through Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai to set up a tense finale. Just when it seemed the visitors might escape with a point, Adli fired home with virtually the final touch of the match, handing Bournemouth only their second win in 15 outings.
The result is set to intensify pressure on Liverpool manager Arne Slot, with the Reds likely to slip out of the Premier League’s top four once Sunday’s fixtures are concluded. Slot, who led Liverpool to the league title last season, had steadied the side following a difficult spell that saw nine defeats in 12 matches earlier in the campaign.
Despite the unbeaten run, performances have drawn criticism, and Liverpool are now without a league win in five games. Their midweek 3-0 victory over Marseille, which boosted their Champions League hopes, briefly suggested renewed momentum, but familiar problems resurfaced against Bournemouth.
Liverpool dominated possession but were punished for defensive lapses that allowed the hosts to race into a 2-0 lead within seven first-half minutes. Van Dijk misjudged an attempted flick from Marcos Senesi’s long ball, enabling Alex Scott to cross for Evanilson to power home. In the scramble to prevent the goal, Joe Gomez suffered an injury, compounding Liverpool’s defensive woes.
Moments later, with the visitors temporarily reduced to 10 men as Wataru Endo prepared to replace Gomez, Bournemouth struck again. Milos Kerkez failed to track Jimenez, who slipped in behind to score his first goal for the club.
Van Dijk partially redeemed himself by heading in Szoboszlai’s corner to spark Liverpool’s comeback. Andy Robertson came on at half-time for Kerkez, amid speculation linking the latter with a move to Tottenham before the transfer window closes.
Liverpool continued to control the ball but struggled to convert dominance into clear chances until Szoboszlai produced a moment of quality. After scoring from a clever free-kick against Marseille, the Hungarian midfielder used a deft flick from Cody Gakpo to create space and fire into the far corner.
The game swung wildly thereafter. Alisson Becker was required to make a superb save from Ryan Christie almost immediately, while Evanilson squandered a golden opportunity to restore Bournemouth’s lead by shooting wide when through on goal. At the other end, Djordje Petrovic denied Florian Wirtz with an excellent stop.
Bournemouth’s persistence was finally rewarded when Liverpool failed to deal with a long throw, allowing Adli to strike decisively from a tight angle. The win lifts Andoni Iraola’s side to 13th in the table and moves them 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
What you should know
Bournemouth’s victory highlights both their resilience and Liverpool’s ongoing inconsistency. Despite enjoying the bulk of possession, Liverpool were again undone by defensive errors and a lack of cutting edge in decisive moments.
For Bournemouth, the win provides a timely boost, easing relegation fears and rewarding an attacking approach that paid off late on.
For Liverpool, the defeat deepens scrutiny on Arne Slot, as the champions risk slipping out of the top four while searching for form and stability during a demanding phase of the season.
