European hangover? No chance. Liverpool blistered through Bournemouth‘s backline in a resounding first half of football to move to the top of the Premier League after five matches – for today, at least.
Title favourites Manchester City and Arsenal face off in a crunch clash tomorrow afternoon but Liverpool have applied the pressure and rectified last weekend’s shock Anfield defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Arne Slot has a blemish on his Reds record but it’s an early account that highlights the promise – such promise – of his smooth-running tactical approach, with AC Milan also beaten in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Fans will be delighted with Darwin Nunez‘s curled strike from the edge of the box to seal the victory before the break, but it was Luis Diaz who stole the show with an emphatic quickfire double.
Luis Diaz is reborn under Slot’s management
Diaz was an ever-present member of Jurgen Klopp‘s Liverpool team last year but he only scored 13 goals across all competitions – with just eight from 37 appearances in the Premier League.
This term, the Colombian winger has bagged five from five in the top flight, also claiming an assist, underscoring his prolific resurgence under Slot’s wing. The Athletic’s James Pearce hailed the “classy” performance, with a stream of goals now added to an electric skillset.
He could have had four on another day. It’s a bit of a hackneyed expression but one that carries a ring of truth. Diaz has gone from strength to strength in the summer and has arguably been Slot’s best player so far.
Of course, there are a few others who would stake a claim, Ryan Gravenberch chief among them.
Ryan Gravenberch’s performance vs Bournemouth
When Liverpool finished the 2023/24 campaign, few probably imagined that Gravenberch would bloom into one of soon-to-arrive head coach Slot’s standout stars – and at number six too.
He’s played every single minute of Liverpool’s campaign thus far, both in the Premier League and on the continent, performing with such class and gusto that the summer’s frustrations around failed attempts to sign a deep-sitting midfielder have been forgotten.
Writing in his post-match player ratings, the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle handed him an 8/10 score, writing: ‘Another impressive showing where his ability to maintain possession under pressure was to the fore. Composure helped Liverpool see game out.’
Ryan Gravenberch: Stats vs Bournemouth | |
|---|---|
Match Stats | # |
Minutes played | 90′ |
Touches | 95 |
Shots (on target) | 1 (1) |
Accurate passes | 74/84 (88%) |
Key passes | 1 |
Long balls (completed) | 3 (2) |
Dribbles (completed) | 1 (1) |
Tackles | 2 |
Clearances | 2 |
Total duels (won) | 10 (7) |
Stats via Sofascore | |
The Netherlands international – who notably racked up 95 touches and completed 100% of his dribbles – is a crisp and elegant passer with an ever-improving defensive game and an innate urge to push forward, seeking to influence play with creative distribution and line-stretching movements.
He won seven duels. To contextualise this, Gravenberch won only 2.8 duels per game in the Premier League last season.
The 22-year-old has so much potential and is starting to show that he can dominate from the hub of Liverpool’s engine room. He was just as good as the flashy Diaz this afternoon.
