Liverpool are back, the Premier League is back and every possible emotion was felt on Merseyside as Arne Slot‘s men just about got off to winning ways in the end.
Liverpool 4-2 Bournemouth
Premier League (1) | Anfield
August 15, 2025
Goals: Ekitike 37′, Gakpo 49′, Chiesa 88′, Salah 90+4′; Semenyo 64′, 76′
1. Anfield always remembers
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Liverpool supporters holding up a banner to pay tribute to Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident in July, on the Spion Kop before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Just a few months ago we were reflecting upon Anfield remembering in a different way. Liverpool had blitzed Tottenham and the Premier League title was confirmed, number 20, at long last.
On that sun-drenched April day Anfield remembered, peering back into the past to summon those feelings of being back on top.
And here once more we remembered. We remembered a No. 20, and not in the manner that anyone expected.
The passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva has not yet sunk in, regardless of all the outpouring and the beautiful gestures we have seen week-on-week. And that’s because it can’t, not yet.
The lad from Portugal should have been there, in this squad and with these lads. And yet the tragedy that occurred over the summer means Anfield holds Jota now; in song loud and proud, in every conversation and anecdote, in every hopeful thought of a game-changing moment.
Few football clubs and communities have suffered heartbreak and incomprehensible pain on the scale of Liverpool. Again, Anfield did what it does best – what it unfortunately has had to do so many times – and wove together as a collective beating heart processing grief.
I hope the tributes and collective emotional power on show throughout the evening did his family and loved ones proud.
2. Defence in early crisis
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Liverpool players look dejected after conceeding the second equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The start of the season does not see a clicking-of-the-fingers moment where any teething issues simply vanish just because it’s now go-time. We wish that was the case, but it’s not.
The defence is an issue for Slot however, and something the Reds’ coaching staff need to iron out in the weeks to come.
It’s to be expected after all, given the recruiting of two brand new full-backs, the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold and the uncertainty around the consistent level of Andy Robertson.
So, it will take time. But Anfield saw a back line somewhat disjointed, mellow and lacking cohesion.
Ibrahima Konate‘s positional play was all but non-existent, and Virgil van Dijk – who had a questionable pre-season of his own – was left second-guessing on several occasions, floating in no-man’s land.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Liverpool's Milos Kerkez is replaced by substitute Wataru End? during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool were cut to pieces at times, as David Brooks and Antoine Semenyo turned the screw with apparent ease.
It spoke volumes that both Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were hooked at the same time, and the emergency deployment of Wataru Endo at full-back screamed of a deliberate nod from Slot to the powers that be up in the board room.
Liverpool are defending champions and have huge potential for further glory this season, but nothing historic is ever built upon shaky foundations. It’s a pressing concern and needs to be addressed with high priority.
3. Ekitike is going to be a menace
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike celebrates his side scoring the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It’s early days, of course it is, but this lad is going to cause some serious problems.
Liverpool have signed a real player here; a thinker, a creator, a tracker and above all a proper athlete. All explosiveness, sinewy yet solid, a constantly manipulating gait.
We caught a glimpse at Wembley, but here at Anfield on the opening night of the new blockbuster show, Ekitike lived up to his billing.
The 23-year-old combines a rare and unusual blend of cool composure with calculated risk-taking. It’s much, much easier said than done. This lad, despite his fleeting years, has already collected his hard knocks in both the French and German top flights and that ground-in experience is showing.
It’s starting to make sense, why Slot was so keen to get this one over the line. A wily striker with an imposing frame and a constantly surveying understanding of what is going on around him.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike celebrates after scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Even at the pace of which Liverpool unload a football match into the gun chamber, Ekitike already looks like he can very much keep up with it all.
Took his goal well, moved through the forward channels like a veteran striker and finished neatly. Just looks like the sort of frontman that defenders take a second glance at and think: ‘Ah, not today mate, I’m not fancying this one’.
A beautiful nuisance who looks like he’ll only get better.
4. Slot’s shuffling suggests a glass half-full
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot with his head in hands during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Last season the Liverpool boss became famed for his astute substitutions and timely tactical tweaks.
Not only was Slot getting to grips with a new league at a blistering pace, but he was seemingly observing it three steps ahead of everyone else each time.
This felt different. And no, this is not to turn on the tactical nuance and say all is lost, but Slot looked like a man desperately trying to fit a few puzzle pieces into peculiar shaped gaps.
Joe Gomez ended the match as an inverted full-back sitting in deep midfield, Federico Chiesa replaced the creative Florian Wirtz and joined Mo Salah in a forward pairing, and Dominik Szoboszlai was playing…pretty much everywhere.
It all quickly became pedal-to-the-metal, and the sort of physically and mentally draining opening fixture that most folk do not expect. It’s easy to detect that Slot isn’t quite set in his ways regarding the new system.
It’s going to take time and things are very much a work-in-progress. But, alas, three points are three points.
5. Federico Chiesa is Divock Origi
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Liverpool's Federico Chiesa celebrates after scoring the third goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
There’s something about being a cult-hero striker at Liverpool. It’s not a pantomime role, it’s something very unique and one of a kind.
Was Divock Origi ever one of Europe’s best strikers while on Merseyside? No. Was he great for Liverpool? Absolutely, and consistently so in the biggest of moments.
And so here it feels like history is repeating itself.
Federico Chiesa has been taken so fondly and so deeply to the hearts of the people. He’s a striker who has been down on his luck, and not at the level that he was earlier in his career – yet he delivers for Liverpool.
It felt poetic for Chiesa to come on and do something here. There was a willing for it to happen, a quiet desperation almost. This lad can’t be knocked for trying, he got himself into the right places, ran hard and took his vital goal with an astounding level of skill and composure.
Of course, the transfer window now rumbles on and anything could happen, but Liverpool would be well served keeping this lad on board. As the song well goes, he came to win…