Match reportNunez and Jota both strike twice in Liverpool victory at Bournemouth

All four of Sunday’s goals at Vitality Stadium came in the second period of play, with Nunez first opening the scoring by finishing off a well-worked attack as Jota found his fellow forward inside the area.

Jota himself then doubled the Reds’ advantage with a low effort, before netting again nine minutes later at the second attempt.

At the end of the fixture, Nunez brought up his brace to round out proceedings, sliding in to fire home a Joe Gomez delivery from the right flank, with Liverpool moving five points clear at the top of the table following the win.

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Team news

Conor Bradley was handed a Premier League debut for Liverpool on the south coast as he started the game in defence.

Alisson Becker returned in goal, while Nunez rejoined the attack in two changes for the Reds.

Liverpool: Alisson, Gomez, Van Dijk, Konate, Diaz (Gakpo, 64), Nunez, Mac Allister, Jones (Clark, 83), Elliott (Gravenberch, 64), Jota (Gordon, 90+4), Bradley (Beck, 83).

Unused subs: Adrian, Kelleher, McConnell, Quansah.

First half

Bournemouth began the contest on the front foot as they forced a number of corners inside the opening five minutes.

Alisson was the first of the two goalkeepers to be called into action in the early exchanges, saving from a Marcus Tavernier cross that was aimed low at his near post.

As the game continued, Alexis Mac Allister flashed a shot wide from distance in Liverpool’s first meaningful effort of the game.

Nunez also saw a long-range strike saved by Neto in the home goal, which signalled a good spell for the Reds as they penned the hosts inside their own half.

Bradley and Luis Diaz both produced inviting balls into the area on separate occasions, though there wasn’t a teammate on hand to greet either delivery.

Diaz himself tried another shot from distance with Liverpool restricted to openings from outside the area in their attempts to break the deadlock.

Bournemouth responded with pressure of their own to close out the first period, with Ryan Christie seeing a succession of chances blocked, while Virgil van Dijk also intervened to halt a Justin Kluivert opening.

Moments ahead of the half-time interval, a Kluivert delivery evaded both Dominic Solanke and Christie inside the six-yard box at the near post in what was the best opportunity of the first half, leaving the teams to head into the break on level terms.

Second half

It took Liverpool just four minutes after the restart to open the scoring, with Nunez finishing off a brilliantly worked move into the bottom corner of the goal.

Ibrahima Konate’s ball forward was brought down by midfielder Curtis Jones, who in turn found Jota advancing inside the area.

The forward then picked out Nunez to his left with a first-time pass, leaving the No.9 to guide home the ball into the net with ease from eight yards out.

Bradley then twice went close in the minutes following the opener as Liverpool looked to take control of the encounter.

The defender first headed wide of the mark from a Nunez delivery, before seeing his curling shot saved by Neto down to the goalkeeper’s left.

With 20 minutes remaining, Jota added a second to the scoreline, turning from provider to goalscorer to earn the Reds some breathing room.

Nunez broke at pace ahead of substitute Cody Gakpo picking up the loose ball to feed in the No.20, who drilled home into the net at the near post in emphatic fashion.

Jota then made it two for himself by rifling another low shot into the goal at the second attempt, ahead of Nunez’s stoppage-time effort, which saw the forward slide to send a Gomez cross in off the post and put an exclamation point on victory.