By Sulaimon Jamiu
Liverpool equalled the Premier League’s record winning scoreline by emphatically beating AFC Bournemouth 9-0 at Anfield on Saturday to seal a first top-flight victory of 2022-23 campaign.
With Anfield bathed in sunshine, Liverpool set about immediately showing a response to the disappointments of Monday evening, with home supporters in fine voice.
The Reds struck twice in the opening six minutes to set the tone for the afternoon, with Luis Diaz heading in from a Roberto Firmino centre before, Harvey Elliott swept in with a wonderful first-time effort from the edge of the box soon after.
A VAR check for offside followed the first goal, but goal was allowed to stand – and the hosts wasted little time in furthering their advantage.
Trent Alexander-Arnold rasped in a third just before the half-hour mark, finding the top corner from distance, before Firmino nudged in the fourth moments later from a deflected cross.
Virgil van Dijk headed in from a corner prior to the break and Chris Mepham turned an Alexander-Arnold cross into his own net seconds after the restart as Jürgen Klopp’s side furthered their advantage. Firmino then grabbed his second, profiting after Mark Travers failed to hold an Andy Robertson shot.
Fabio Carvalho claimed his first goal for the club when he volleyed in from Kostas Tsimikas’ lay-off and Diaz headed in Liverpool’s ninth – and final – goal before the conclusion to equal the division’s record win.
