Jota and Nunez net twice, lifting Liverpool five points clear
BOURNEMOUTH, United Kingdom — Liverpool shrugged off the absence of Mohamed Salah to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League as Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez struck twice in a 4-0 win at Bournemouth on Sunday.
The Reds’ title credentials will be tested while their star man is away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
But, Jota and Nunez stood up to be counted to secure a vital win at one of the form sides in the Premier League.
Bournemouth has lost just once in their previous nine games to climb comfortably clear of the relegation zone.
However, the Cherries were held at arm’s length in the first half before Jurgen Klopp’s men turned on the style after the break.
“It was obvious we needed to change something. We did and it worked much better,” said Klopp on the turnaround in his side’s display between the first and second half.
“Everything was better, we really put them under pressure and we scored some beautiful goals. There was an impact from the bench again, so it turned into a pretty good evening.”
Liverpool was restricted to pot shots in a first period devoid of clear chances.
But, the game turned on one moment of quality from the visitor, breaking the deadlock on 49 minutes.
Jota’s first time pass put Nunez in the clear and the Uruguayan showed the poise he has often lacked in his Liverpool career to date to slot the ball in at the far corner.
Substitute Cody Gakpo then teed up Jota to fire in at the near post 20 minutes from time to end the game as a contest.
Difficult to match
Jota was more fortunate for his second, as the Portuguese fluffed his initial effort from Conor Bradley’s cross only for the ball to sit up for a second attempt, which he drilled low and hard across Neto.
“We have world-class players and when we have them it’s easier,” said Jota. “But we are Liverpool, so when we don’t have them, we still have a good team.
“We can replace them and share the cost of the game between us to keep going.”
Nunez has scored just once in his previous 16 Liverpool appearances since scoring the winner against Bournemouth in the League Cup in early November.
The confidence he gained from finding the net earlier in the half showed, as he slid in perfectly to meet Joe Gomez’s cross and round off a fine afternoon for Liverpool in stoppage time.
“We started doing things that we weren’t doing in the first half and we were probably doing things too quickly. It made us worse,” said Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola.
“We started leaving more spaces in the middle and weren’t as tight or aggressive. Liverpool doesn’t lose their intensity. If you don’t match them, it’s difficult.”
Manchester City has a game in hand on its title rival to be able to shave Liverpool’s advantage at the top down to two points.
But, after a season in the doldrums that saw Klopp’s men slip to fifth last year, there is little doubt that the team is once again the biggest threat to City’s crown as champion.
Salah blow
However, it was not all good news for victorious Liverpool, as it was announced late Sunday that Salah is leaving the Africa Cup of Nations — at least temporarily — and returning to Liverpool for treatment on a muscle injury.
The influential forward was forced off during the first half of Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Ghana in Thursday’s Africa Cup group match, causing concern for club and country.
It was later revealed that the 31-year-old Salah would miss the Pharaohs’ next two fixtures, if they progressed to the knockout stages of the tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.
Salah would attend Egypt’s final Group B game against Cape Verde on Monday, where victory would secure a berth in the last 16, before flying back to Liverpool for rehabilitation.