Jamie Carragher mentioned referee Anthony Taylor was given a model of occasions that “didn’t occur” when Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi escaped a possible pink card in opposition to Liverpool within the Premier League at Anfield.
New Liverpool ahead Hugo Ekitike would have damaged clear from the centre circle however for an intervention by final man again Senesi that gave the impression to be made with the centre-back’s hand.
VAR says no, however @Carra23 was satisfied that was handball 🧐 pic.twitter.com/kS8hOEwn7s
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2025
Video Assistant Referee Michael Oliver appeared to advise Taylor that the ball had initially come off Senesi’s leg, stopping him from having the ability to cease himself handballing.
“He realises he’s obtained a large drawback and strikes his hand in the direction of the ball,” mentioned Carragher. “What I simply heard from the VAR didn’t occur.”
Liverpool vs Bournemouth: Ekitike objective
Ekitike would have needed to run the size of Bournemouth’s half and overwhelmed goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic however Senesi might effectively have been despatched off had the choice gone in opposition to him.
“I don’t like seeing folks despatched off and the controversy would have been how far-off he was from objective,” mentioned Carragher. “The referee has been given the fallacious data.”
Ekitike had his revenge with the opener within the thirty seventh minute, gathering Alexis Mac Allister’s cross and enjoying the ball by way of Senesi earlier than placing the opening objective right-footed from contained in the field.
Bournemouth had appeared likelier to attain at that time, though Mohamed Salah had a curling early effort tipped over the crossbar by Petrovic and despatched in a cross that Virgil van Dijk headed over to supervisor Arne Slot’s seen annoyance.
Ekitike: ‘Two large Liverpool probabilities, two objectives’
“What a begin he’s needed to his liverpool profession,” mentioned Carragher, discussing the £69 million signing who additionally scored after 4 minutes of Liverpool’s Neighborhood Protect defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
“It’s a stunning cross from Alexis Mac Allister. Ekitike will get a little bit little bit of luck. He’s had two large probabilities in a Liverpool shirt and he’s scored two objectives.
“Liverpool wanted that. Bournemouth have been glorious however they discover themselves behind.”
Liverpool group vs Bournemouth
A bunch of signings made their Premier League debuts within the opening sport of the 2025/26 season.
Alongside Ekitike, midfielder Florian Wirtz was among the many new faces after becoming a member of the Reds from Bayer Leverkusen for a payment that might rise to a British-record £116 million.
Left-back Milos Kerkez joined for £40m from Bournemouth and right-back Jeremie Frimpong signed from Leverkusen for £29.5m.
Joe Gomez was out for Liverpool with a minor health situation, as was fellow defender Conor Bradley with a hamstring drawback.
Midfielder Mac Allister began regardless of affected by an absence of minutes whereas recovering from harm throughout pre-season, however Ryan Gravenberch was suspended.
Liverpool beginning XI: Alisson, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo, Salah, Ekitike
Liverpool substitutes: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha
Bournemouth lineup vs Liverpool
Bournemouth gave bows to Petrovic, left-back Adrien Truffert and Bafode Diakite, a centre-back who arrived this week from Lille for a payment that might rise to greater than £34m.
Petrovic, who joined from Chelsea for £25m in July, saved a penalty in a 0-0 pleasant draw in opposition to Actual Sociedad final week.
Diakite is Bournemouth’s second-most costly ever signing, following the £40.2m paid to Porto for ahead Evanilson in 2024.
Dango Ouattara was not concerned as Brentford pursue a transfer for the Burkina Faso worldwide.
One other of Iraola’s huge gamers, Luis Sinisterra, was additionally absent due to uncertainty over his future, and midfielder Lewis Cook dinner was suspended and has an harm that might preserve him out for 2 video games.
Ahead Justin Kluivert had a calf situation and midfielder Ryan Christie was but to return to full health.
Enes Unal was recovering from a critical knee harm the striker sustained in January.
Bournemouth beginning XI: Petrovic, Smith, Senesi, Diakite, Truffert, Adams, Scott, Tavernier, Semenyo, Evanilson, Kroupi
Bournemouth substitutes: Dennis, Araujo, Soler, Kroupi, Hill, Traore, Billing, Winterburn, Rees-Dottin
The way to watch Liverpool vs Bournemouth: Stay stream, TV channel
Kick-off on Friday was at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with dwell protection within the UK on Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion, Premier League and Extremely.
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