Ekitike’s Dream Debut
French forward Hugo Ekitike made a statement on his Premier League debut, scoring the opener in the 37th minute after a clever exchange with Alexis Mac Allister and capitalizing on a loose ball from Marcos Senesi. Ekitike wasn’t done — just four minutes into the second half, he provided the assist for Cody Gakpo, whose precise finish doubled Liverpool’s advantage
Bournemouth’s Stunning Fightback
Despite being 2-0 down, Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth showed resilience. Antoine Semenyo halved the deficit in the 64th minute before producing a sensational solo effort from the halfway line in the 76th, leveling the score at 2-2 and silencing the Anfield crowd
Chiesa and Salah Seal the Victory
Liverpool’s response was swift. Substitute Federico Chiesa, making his Premier League debut, fired home a composed strike in the 88th minute to restore the lead. In stoppage time, Mohamed Salah — the Egyptian King — latched onto a long ball from Wataru Endo to score from close range, making him the first player in Premier League history to net 10 goals in opening-weekend fixtures
Tactical Insights
Slot’s Liverpool blended his controlled style with Klopp-era “heavy metal football.” New signings Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong all showed glimpses of their quality, though defensive lapses almost cost the Reds. Bournemouth’s attacking threat, led by Semenyo, will give Iraola hope — but defensive reinforcements appear urgent
Key Match Facts
Liverpool extended their unbeaten run on Premier League opening weekends to 13 matches (W10 D3)
Hugo Ekitike became only the second Liverpool player to score and assist on his Premier League debut, after Darwin Núñez in 2022
Cody Gakpo has now scored in 11 of his last 12 starts at Anfield
Antoine Semenyo has scored 50% of Bournemouth’s Premier League goals at Anfield
What’s Next
Liverpool travel to Newcastle United on 25 August, while Bournemouth host Wolverhampton Wanderers two days earlier