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Hugo Ekitike, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah all found the back of the net for the Reds against the cherries in the season opener at Anfield.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield, Liverpool, England, Friday Aug. 15, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Holders Liverpool got their title defence off to a brilliant start as they opened the 2025/25 season of the Premier League with a 4-2 win over Bournemouth on Saturday.
Hugo Ekitike, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah all found the back of the net for the Reds against the cherries in the season opener at Anfield.
Antoine Semenyo looked to have salvaged a point for Bournemouth by scoring twice after reporting an incident of racial abuse from a fan. His goals cancelled out strikes from Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo for the defending champions.
On an emotional night as Anfield remembered Diogo Jota, Chiesa emerged as the unexpected hero. The injury-plagued Italian fired the home side back in front before Salah sealed the win.
Liverpool’s joy at celebrating a record-equalling 19th English top-flight title turned to tragedy during the off-season when forward Jota and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car accident last month at the age of 28.
Just 11 days before the accident, the Portuguese international had married Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children.
A large banner at the front of The Kop read: “Rute, Dinis, Duarte, Mafalda – Anfield will always be your home. You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
During a minute’s silence, fans held up a giant mosaic with the initials of Jota and Silva, who was also a footballer, and their shirt numbers in the Portuguese flag.
“The main emotion should be how moving the tribute for Diogo was,” said Liverpool boss Arne Slot. “It was all so impressive and powerful.”
Despite winning the title with four games to spare last season, Liverpool have undergone a significant transformation in the transfer market, spending close to £300 million ($407 million).
Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong made their first competitive starts for the Reds.
More signings could yet come, with Liverpool linked to a British transfer record move for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and interested in Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
Bournemouth were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men less than 15 minutes in when Marcos Senesi clearly directed the ball out of Ekitike’s path with his hand when the French striker had a clear run at goal, but VAR did not intervene.
The game was briefly halted on the half-hour mark as Semenyo reported to referee Anthony Taylor that he had been subjected to racist abuse from a Liverpool supporter, who was removed from the stands by police at half-time.
“Totally unacceptable,” said Bournemouth captain Adam Smith. “Kind of in shock it happened in this day and age.”
Liverpool said in a statement that the incident is now the subject of an ongoing police investigation.
Shortly after the resumption, Ekitike settled Liverpool’s nerves by getting the break of the ball and slotting past Dorde Petrovic.
Gakpo then coolly left two Bournemouth defenders on the ground and rolled into the bottom corner just after half-time.
However, Slot’s men have struggled to find the right balance in pre-season and in losing the Community Shield to Palace last weekend. A new-look slick attack could not compensate for wide-open defensive gaps on the counter-attack, and this was evident again.
David Brooks broke the offside trap and squared for Semenyo to pull a goal back.
The Ghanaian then capped his eventful evening with a remarkable equaliser. Semenyo collected possession just outside his own box, sprinted through a vacant Liverpool midfield, and fired into the bottom corner 13 minutes from time.
Chiesa, rarely used by Slot in his debut season in England, became the unlikely hero when he pounced on a loose ball inside the Bournemouth box on 89 minutes.
Salah then broke clear in stoppage time to score his customary goal in the opening game of the season and paid tribute to Jota by mimicking one of his goal celebrations.
The Egyptian broke down in tears after full-time as a chant in Jota’s name echoed from the stands.
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