Liverpool got off to a winning start in the opening match of the 2025/26 Premier League season at Anfield on Friday by defeating Bournemouth 4-2.

In the first half, a deliberate handball by Senesi went unpunished by VAR, before Ekitike push the ball into the net In the second half, Gakpo volleyed and scored, Semenyo responded with two goals, and Chiesa netted a half-volley. In a crucial moment, Salah volleyed home. In the end, Liverpool start their title defense with a 4-2 victory over Bournemouth.

First Half

In the 6th minute, Adrien Truffert crossed into the into the box from the left wing. Antonio Semenyo quickly followed with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but his shot flew high out of the pitch.

7 minutes later, Mohamed Salah's through ball from his own half hits Marcos Senesi's left leg, where it bounced and was then tapped away by the latter. Upon seeing this, the Liverpool players immediately protested to the referee. However, the assistant referee, after reviewing the VAR, ruled the deliberate handball, as the ball was moving too quickly and Senesi had no control, resulting in an accidental handball. He refused to issue a red card, a decision that immediately sparked controversy.

In the 37th minute, Alexis Mac Allister passes horizontallu from the left wing. Hugo Ekitike quickly followed up, got the ball and dribbled into the middle of the center of the box past Senesi before firing a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner of the net. Liverpool broke the deadlock first by taking a 1-0 lead! This was the second consecutive competitive match that the France international striker has scored since joining the Reds!

At the halftime break, Liverpool temporarily led Bournemouth by 1-0.

Second Half

Both teams switched sides as the match continued. In the 49th minute, Ekitike passes back from the left side of the box. Cody Gakpo quickly followed up, got the ball, cuts inside and took a few steps before volleying the ball into the bottom right corner of the net with his right-foot from the right side of the box. Liverpool expanded its lead to 2-0! Ekitike broke the record, by becoming the second player in Liverpool history, after Darwin Núñez, to score and assist on his Premier League debut!

In the 64th minute, Bournemouth launched a deadly quickly counterattack. David Brooks crossed into the box from the left wing. Antonio Semenyo quickly followed up and upon receiving the ball, slotted the ball into the top left corner of the net with his a left-foot from the center of the box, Bournemouth pulled a goal back at 2-1!

12 minutes later, Bournemouth launched another deadly quick counterattack. Hamed Traoré intercepted the ball and passed it straight from the edge of his own penalty area. Semenyo quickly followed up, got the ball and dribbled all the way to the edge of the box, before firing a left-footed long shot into the bottom right corner of the net to score his second goal of the match, with Alisson having no time to react! Bournemouth came back from behind to equalize Liverpool at 2-2!

In the 88th minute, Salah crossed into the box from the right wing. Upon receiving the pass, Curtis Jones strucked the ball with his right foot shot from a very close distance in the box, but his shot was successively was blocked by Djordje Petrović and Ben Winterburn and cleared off not far away. Federico Chiesa quickly followed up and after picking the loose ball, volleyed the ball into the bottom right corner of the net  from the center of the box with his right foot! Liverpool took the lead again 3-2! Chiesa, freed from injury, finally scored his first Premier League goal since joining the Reds a year ago!

In the fourth minute of injury time, Endo made a thorugh long pass from his own back half. After successfully beating the  offside trap, Mohamed Salah quickly follow up, got the ball, dribbled and cuts into the left side of the box before volleying the ball into the bottom right corner of the net with his right-foot! Liverpool secured the victory by 4-2! The Egyptian King continued his impressive streak of scoring in every Premier League opening game of the season!

When the final whistle is blown, Liverpool defeated Bournemouth by 4-2.