Arne Slot was stunned thanks to a 95th winner by Bournemouth - and the Reds latest loss all boils down to his 'amateurish' decision in the first half
19:26, 24 Jan 2026Updated 19:39, 24 Jan 2026
Arne Slot
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Arne Slot's poor decision cost Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool might have been hoping the tide was turning on their season, but the Reds were left treading water thanks to Arne Slot's "amateurish" decision.
The Reds were a goal down and already facing an uphill battle, with just ten men on the pitch due to an injury to Joe Gomez, when Slot was barking at his team to kick the ball into the touch. But when they didn't listen, Bournemouth grabbed a second.
Slot was furious, and Jamie Redknapp summed it up best at half-time: "You get seven minutes to make the sub. I have no idea why they didn't make the change. Could Alisson kick it out play just to make the sub?
Bournemouth
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Bournemouth took a late winner(Image: AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
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"They get him on too late. Arne Slot wanted Alisson to kick it out of play but he doesn't see it. It's amateurish."
Virgil van Dijk, himself well below his lofty standards, managed to pull one back for the Reds, giving the faltering Champions the illusion of hope before half-time.
However, Liverpool were still chasing the game and Bournemouth dug-in, the Reds' wave-after-wave of attacks were rebuffed by the defiant Cherries. And Liverpool's first half blunder looked like it might have cost them.
Joe Gomez
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Joe Gomez went off injured in the clash(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
That was until Merseyside's answer to Superman stepped foot over a free-kick. Dominik Szoboszlai had been Arne Slot's knight in shinning armour during the week against Inter Milan.
And he reappeared on the South Coast to almost rescue the game for the Champions. Mohamed Salah, starting his first Premier League game since November, took command of the free-kick, but a backheel created the angle for the Hungarian to whip the ball inside of the far post.
Florian Wirtz came close to winning the game, his tame effort trickling along the face of the Bournemouth goal as the Vitality let out of sigh of relief.
It seemed as through the Reds had rescued a point, but Liverpool's weakness all season has been set-pieces and the Cherries' long throw finally came off in added time.
With the last kick of the game, Amine Adli turned the ball into the back of the net.
Liverpool remain fourth in the table, but bitter rivals Manchester United are breathing down their neck.
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And some more miracle work from Michael Carrick tomorrow, against Arsenal, could see the Red Devils knock them out of the top four.