Bournemouth proved yet again to be the party spoilers for Liverpool as an 86th-minute equaliser from Joshua King meant Liverpool still face a tough task of finishing in the top four. It was yet another case of dropped points for the Reds against lowly ranked teams as Bournemouth managed a 2-2 against Jürgen Klopp’s side. Benik Afobe opened the scoring for the visitors but Philippe Coutinho equalised for Liverpool in the dying stages of the first half.
Divock Origi looked to have secured a win when he scored Liverpool’s second goal. But, Joshua King had other plans on his mind. King scored the equaliser late in the game to grab one point away which kept his side unbeaten in the last six games. On that note, let’s take a look at the Liverpool player ratings from their disappointing draw against Bournemouth.
Simon Mignolet (5.5/10): Was not at fault for either of the goals. However, he put unnecessary pressure on himself with the ball at his feet. The Belgian must improve his nervy footwork to ensure he keeps his place in the starting lineup.
Nathaniel Clyne (7.5/10): Clyne was resolute as ever at the back but could not offer much offensively in the first half. That changed soon as he hit the crossbar in the second half with the birthday boy being very unlucky with a stunner of a shot.
Dejan Lovren (6/10): The Croatian was brilliant against Everton but not so much last night. He didn’t commit any errors individually but looked shaky at times due to the unreliability of Ragnar Klavan and Simon Mignolet.
Ragnar Klavan (5/10): Looked out of sorts during patches and lost possession on a number of occasions. He must do better to validate his stay at the club.
James Milner (6/10): An industrious performance from the veteran as he provided width on the right flank. His delivery was not up to the mark as he failed to put even one decent cross into the box.
Lucas Leiva (6/10): He kept the play ticking and was crucial in stopping many of Cherries’ attacks. He received a booking for a trademark Lucas foul and also had a shot just wide of the target.
Emre Can (5.5/10): After an eventful month, the German was subdued for the majority of the match as he could not instil his authority on the game. Can also looked frustrated at times with himself, his teammates and the referee.
Georginio Wijnaldum (7/10): Gini started the game in the worst possible way as his horrible back pass led to Bournemouth’s opener. He soon got back to his best and produced yet another effective performance. The Dutchman was crucial in each of Liverpool’s attacks and provided a brilliant assist for Divock Origi.
Philippe Coutinho (7/10): Started the game slowly but improved as the game went on. He scored smartly to level the matters and was instrumental in maintaining the pressure on Bournemouth’s defenders. He was surprisingly substituted after the hour mark, perhaps to save him for the weekend’s clash against Stoke City.
Roberto Firmino (6/10): Lost the ball many times during the course of the game and was not at his influential best. Though he provided a smart assist for Coutinho, it was evident that it was a tough night for the Brazilian.
Divock Origi (8/10): The youngster looked like a threat for the entirety of the game and was rewarded with a simple headed goal to restore the lead for Liverpool. His recent return to form means that a lot will depend on the Belgian striker to help the Reds achieve Champions League qualification in Sadio Mane’s absence.
Substitutions
Joel Matip (6/10): Though he did not make any mistake in his half-hour cameo, sending him so early in the game to shut shop was a wrong tactic used by Jürgen Klopp. Matip could not help his teammates much in a back three.
