Klopp will have been pleased that so many changes still resulted in three points
It wasn’t quite the lineup most were expecting but a group of players that largely consisted of products of Liverpool’s youth academy overcame a resurgent home side that have just recently confirmed their status in the top-flight for another season. They did it fairly comfortably too, barring those last 5 minutes.
For much of the day Liverpool bossed the game, keeping Bournemouth at arm’s length, allowing only half-chances at the away end. A defensive ‘diamond’ of Lucas Leiva, Kolo Toure and Kevin Stewart/Joe Allen did a superb job of holding firm, providing a bedrock from which the creative talents could weave their magic.
And some of the approach play from the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Sheyi Ojo and Jordan Ibe was pretty impressive at times, with Roberto Firmino only really springing to life after he’d opened the scoring.
There was the familiar last minute panic, after the introduction of Mamadou Sakho for the injured Toure unsettled a previously solid back line but otherwise, a job well done and 10 first-teamers – mostly – rested ahead of the Merseyside derby on Wednesday. See our ratings below.
[ffc-gallery]Click to see our player ratings.[/ffc-gallery]
