3 things that went right for Liverpool against Bournemouth

Just days after stunningly knocking Manchester City out of the UEFA Champions League on the back of a final 5-1 result over two legs, Liverpool proved that they had no intention of taking the Premier League for granted.

Pitted against Bournemouth for the Matchday 34 clash, the Merseysiders played host to Eddie Howe's side, who were eventually handed a 3-0 beating they will go on to remember for a while to come.

Liverpool's terrific trio of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, and Roberto Firmino made their mark on the scoresheet, with Mane getting the Reds off to a flyer by netting as early as the 7th minute.

Maverick Mo Salah then did his thing as he effortlessly headed one past Asmir Begovic in the 69th minute. Firmino soon added icing to the cake as he too beat Begovic to find the back of the net in the dying minutes of the game.

The Cherries were outplayed in almost every department and had few solutions to offer against a characteristically blistering Liverpool side.

On that note, here is a look at 3 things that went right for Liverpool against Bournemouth:

#3 Momentum maintained

Ever since they were unceremoniously knocked out of the FA Cup after a 2-3 defeat in the 4th round at the hands of West Brom towards the end of January, Liverpool have consistently been firing on all cylinders, wiping out teams that have stood in their way, including the seemingly infallible Manchester City. Twice. Oh, and they beat City once before that as well.

Since the defeat to West Brom, the Reds have played 14 matches in all competitions, winning 10, drawing 3, and losing just 1 - to Manchester United in March. In the same time period, the Merseysiders have scored an astonishing total of 34 goals, conceding just 7.

Now, these 14 games have included opponents like both Manchester clubs, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, in case you were going to rebuke me. Jurgen Klopp's side seem to have to hit the perfect groove and look simply unstoppable.

Beating Manchester City 5-1 over two legs is no small feat and it's bound to have ejected Liverpool with plenty of confidence, but for a side known to often waste momentum, losing to smaller teams after beating bigger ones in the past, Jurgen Klopp's men did rather well last night to keep the flame burning bright.

#2 Water-tight defence

The — Virgil van Dijk has made a world of difference

Virgil Van Dijk arrived at Liverpool in January for a reportedly mindboggling fee of £75 million, amid much hype and revelry. 3 and a half months later, he has all but validated not just the price tag, but also the hype.

It's astonishing how the presence of one man can make as much difference as Van Dijk has made to Liverpool's backline. Remember the time period mentioned in the previous slide? It's no coincidence that it began shortly after the Dutchman's arrival.

The 26-year-old hasn't just been spectacular himself but has also seemingly rejuvenated the entire backline, suddenly making Liverpool's defence seem impregnable.

Last night was no different, as Bournemouth tried all they could but little wriggled past the defence. Liverpool's back-4, consisting of Andrew Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Dejan Lovren and Trent Alexander-Arnold made a combined total of 9 crucial tackles and 5 key passes, allowing nothing past them.

While Liverpool fans will rue the latency in Van Dijk's arrival and the subsequent delay in building a solid defence, the UEFA Champions League still hangs in the balance, and more importantly, Jurgen Klopp is certainly going to be a hugely optimistic manager ahead of next season.

#1 Mohamed Salah

What a signing this man has been. Unbelievable. Unstoppable. Unrelenting.

Mohamed Salah has stunned us time and again this season, and he did it last night as well. The Egyptian was rested for Liverpool's previous Premier League encounter - the Merseyside Derby against Everton, but returned to the playing eleven yesterday, and did so with a bang.

In the second half, Excellent positioning and vision allowed Salah to make a darting run behind the defence to head home Trent Alexander-Arnold's exquisite long-ball, giving Liverpool their 2nd goal of the night, and his 40th of the season.

While that was undeniably his highlight of the game, that wasn't all he had to provide. As usual, Salah was his electrifying self, making 3 successful dribbles and taking 6 shots. All-in-all, he ensured that he was a nuisance for the Bournemouth defence, who simply couldn't match up to the fiery Reds' attack.

Most players dream to be on level terms with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Most players crave to be mentioned in the same breath as those two legends. Even if it's just for a heartbeat.

Not Mo Salah, though. The Egyptian has had a taste of glory, of what it's like to surpass Messi and Ronaldo, and he sure looks like he wants to finish the season that way.

Mohamed Salah isn't something Liverpool got right in just this game. He's the biggest thing they've got right this season, and perhaps, for the years to come.

Edited by Anirudh Menon