Liverpool hit nine in ruthless rout of Bournemouth to end winless run

Scott Elliott celebrated his son’s first Premier League goal by launching his jacket 20 feet into the air and several rows down from his Main Stand seat. Harvey’s proud father eventually got the jacket back and Liverpool, following a midweek dressing down from Jürgen Klopp, got the feel-good factor back in record fashion too.

Having invited questions over their winless start to the season, including from their own manager after Monday’s tame loss at Manchester United, Liverpool responded in emphatic, ruthless style at Anfield. Talk about venting your frustration. True, Bournemouth were abject throughout and perfect fodder for a team in need of a first win of the campaign. But in terms of intensity, penetration and pure enjoyment of the ball Liverpool could not have done more to banish the doubts and signal their self-belief remains intact.

Klopp’s side were outstanding from the off, five goals ahead by half-time – for the first time in a league game at Anfield since 1958 – and equalled their record league win – against Crystal Palace in 1989 – with something to spare. And Mohamed Salah didn’t score. The rout started and finished with a Luis Díaz header but this was a day to savour the enduring class of Roberto Firmino. The Brazil international produced three assists and a goal inside 31 minutes and, to be blunt, extracted the Michael out of Scott Parker’s sorry side.

Liverpool commenced the destruction after 151 seconds. An opening goal had been coming even then. Firmino, having broken through Bournemouth’s weak midfield to release Salah, bent a delightful cross into the area for the soaring Díaz to head beyond Mark Travers. An exhausting and humiliating afternoon for the Bournemouth keeper had just begun.

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