Match reportMohamed Salah double earns Liverpool victory at Bournemouth

A penalty in the opening period and a stunning curling effort in the second was enough for the Reds to secure three points on the south coast.

The win came in battling fashion at Vitality Stadium and saw Arne Slot's side open up an advantage of nine points at the top of the standings.

Team

Liverpool reverted to an unchanged line-up from their last Premier League fixture, while Slot's squad was bolstered by the return of Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez to the bench.

Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister (Jones, 61), Salah (Endo, 88), Gakpo (Nunez, 70), Robertson, Gravenberch, Alexander-Arnold (Bradley, 70).

Unused subs: Kelleher, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah.

First half

Both teams exchanged early chances on the south coast as Antoine Semenyo saw a low shot saved by Alisson Becker, before Luis Diaz had a close effort blocked from an Andy Robertson corner.

Justin Kluivert was next to test the reactions of Liverpool's No.1, while Cody Gakpo responded in the same fashion at the other end, forcing a strong stop from Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Semenyo again threatened and went closest of anyone in minute 20, rattling the post with a well-struck driven shot from the left side of the box.

The Reds responded once more with an opportunity of their own, Gakpo feeding in the onrushing Dominik Szoboszlai, whose chance was pushed away from the right.

Liverpool weren't to be denied on the half-hour mark, though, taking the lead from the penalty spot via Salah.

Gakpo raced down the left flank to latch on to Robertson's ball over the top and was deemed to have been clipped in his effort to do so by the retreating Lewis Cook.

Salah duly stepped up and fired low into the bottom right corner to break the deadlock and edge the Reds in front.

Ahead of the interval, Bournemouth did have the ball in the back of the net through David Brooks but his shot from the edge of the box was immediately flagged offside as Milos Kerkez strayed too far ahead of his cutback.

Second half

Bournemouth started the better of the two teams after the change of ends, working three chances in the opening minutes.

Dango Ouattara first headed wide from a Brooks cross, ahead of Kluivert seeing a volley blocked by Ibrahima Konate and Semenyo's low shot saved by Alisson.

The visitors weathered the early pressure and began to play once more, with Alexis Mac Allister whistling a curling shot from a Salah pass off the right just inches past Kepa's post.

Liverpool were being forced to battle for every ball as the game carried on in much the same fashion as the opening period, with both teams exchanging attacks.

Marcus Tavernier sent a warning to the Reds, driving down the right, cutting inside from distance and smashing a dipping effort off the upright.

Kluivert raced in afterwards to meet the rebound, though he could only fire wide of the target with his follow-up opportunity.

With 15 minutes remaining, however, Salah added a second in sublime fashion to give Liverpool a two-goal cushion.

The No.11 took the ball from Jones in the box, stood up his defender and produced an impressive curling effort into the far corner of the net to earn breathing room.

In the closing minutes, Bournemouth pushed on to find a goal to haul themselves back into the game but were held at bay by Slot's charges.

Semenyo went closest for the Cherries, driving low past the post from the edge of the area, though it was as near as they would come to getting on the scoresheet.