Joe Gomez was forced off injured(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
When it comes to self-sabotage, Liverpool have offered a strong case they are market leaders this season. And a costly seven-minute spell during the first half here was the latest compelling evidence.
It was bad enough that Virgil van Dijk’s misjudgement of a long ball in the tricky conditions invited Bournemouth to open the scoring.
But that Alisson Becker wiped out Joe Gomez in the process of attempting to keep out Evanilson’s shot compounded the misery.
Still, though, that wasn’t enough from Liverpool who, Gomez off the pitch receiving treatment shortly after the restart, then opted not to put the ball out and played almost five minutes with 10 men, a spell during which Bournemouth gained momentum and doubled their advantage before Wataru Endo was belatedly introduced into the heart of defence.
OPINION
For Gomez, it was a bitter blow on his first Premier League start at centre-back since the hamstring injury suffered at West Ham United in December 2024.
And it will increase calls for Liverpool to dip into the transfer market before next Monday’s deadline and strengthen defensive resources that are now approaching breaking point.
**Substitutes no change**
If there was one moment that will have alarmed Arne Slot more than most, it came just minutes after Dominik Szoboszlai had thumped them back on level terms.
With Liverpool pressing forward in search of a winner, Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott picked the ball up around the halfway line and started to make his way towards the visiting goal.
He advanced a bit. Then a bit further. And then a bit further. While hardly at full pelt, Scott continued to move away from any chasing Liverpool players as the makeshift visiting defence backed off sufficiently for him to play a ball through unchallenged to Evanilson, who then prodded a glorious chance wide.
The pendulum of the game immediately swung back in Bournemouth’s favour, and both the players and crowd sensed it.
Liverpool’s players looked exhausted, a point Slot readily admitted afterwards. While the exertions in Marseille didn’t help, that so many have been used repeatedly in the last few months was apparent in the sudden drop in energy levels.
Even the substitutes were affected as, unlike in midweek, the bench overall made little impact.
Curtis Jones and Hugo Ekitike were too easily brushed off the ball while only teenager Rio Ngumoha made any positive difference, notably when winning the foul for Szoboszlai’s strike.
This was the seventh of nine games this month and, for a Liverpool squad lacking depth, it showed.
**Blunt attack**
Two goals, 67% possession, a set-piece brace and 11 corners, such statistics would at first glance make it appear Liverpool were a strong attacking threat here.
This, though, was a game where, with the honourable exception of the hard-working Florian Wirtz, the Reds were disappointingly blunt from open play.
Mohamed Salah posted a display that served as a reminder of why there wasn’t too much dissent from supporters when benched earlier in the campaign, while Cody Gakpo flattered to deceive and the midfield failed to make the most of some promising positions in a dominant opening quarter.
But the need to manage the minutes of Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong robbed Liverpool for significant spells of the valuable commodity of pace that proved fruitful in Marseille.
Even the wildcard of Federico Chiesa was unavailable to Slot with the Italian having succumbed to the problem that saw him limp out of the warm-up on Wednesday.
Slot, though, will have to make do and mend with these options for the foreseeable – barring an unlikely swoop to bolster the attack over the next week.