Substitute Darwin Nunez scored a stunner as Liverpool overcame Bournemouth to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
The Uruguayan striker cut in from the left and picked his spot perfectly for the 70th-minute finish, curling the ball with plenty of pace into the top right corner beyond a despairing Ionut Radu.
Cody Gakpo had put Liverpool in front in the first half when he pounced to poke home from close range after Harvey Elliott’s volley was parried into his path.
But Bournemouth levelled through Justin Kluivert as he netted his first goal for the club since joining from Roma in the summer. He emerged unmarked at the far post to head home an Alex Scott corner in the 64th minute.
The hosts committed everything to attack during the final 15 minutes. David Brooks and Hamed Traore chanced their arm, but neither could muster an attempt as the Cherries failed to level for a second time.
Liverpool will take on Premier League rivals West Ham, who beat Arsenal 3-1 in the fourth round, in the quarter-finals at Anfield.
Cherries focus turns to league survival
Bournemouth are still getting to grips with the philosophy of manager Andoni Iraola, who replaced Gary O’Neil over the summer.
Saturday’s 2-1 win against newly promoted Burnley – their first victory of the campaign – was badly needed to move them one point clear of the bottom three.
As enjoyable as a run in the EFL Cup can be, Bournemouth cannot afford to get distracted from the main priority of retaining their spot in the top-flight for a third successive season.
The road ahead may still be long and arduous for the Cherries but there were some positives to take from their loss to Liverpool.
With the wind and rain swirling around the Vitality Stadium as Storm Ciaran hit, Bournemouth went toe-to-toe with their visitors in the opening 45 minutes – each side registered four shots on target.
Kluivert was responsible for two of those efforts and the Dutch forward will have been pleased to finally get on the scoresheet in Bournemouth colours.
Midfielder Scott, another summer arrival from Bristol City, also caught the eye and he was inches away from scoring directly from a corner as he used the conditions to whip in a ball that Joe Gomez had to clear off the line.
Nunez notches once again
Chants of “Nunez, Nunez, Nunez” rang out around the Vitality when the full-time whistle went.
The 24-year-old struggled to live up to his £64m price tag last season, scoring 15 goals across all competitions, but he has fitted well in a Liverpool shirt in this campaign.
With Jurgen Klopp opting to rotate his starting 11 – just three players survived from Sunday’s 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest – Nunez had to make do with a place on the bench.
Brought on in the second half with the game level at 1-1, the frontman took just nine minutes to put his stamp on the match, bending a beautiful effort across goal to register for the third successive game and take his haul to seven this season.
It was an unusually quiet night for Mohamed Salah, one of those three to retain their starting berth and the only player in the Liverpool ranks to have scored more than Nunez in 2023-24.
The Egyptian had one sight of goal in the second half but could only head wide.
Liverpool’s summer revamp clearly seems to have had the desired impact as the win at Bournemouth extended their unbeaten streak to six games, while they have lost just once all season.
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Player of the match
NúñezDarwin Núñez
with an average of 8.80
AFC Bournemouth
Liverpool
Line-ups
Bournemouth
Formation 4-2-3-1
20Radu
15A Smith6Mepham27Zabarnyi3Kerkez
14Scott29Billing
24Semenyo10Christie19Kluivert
9Solanke
20Radu15A SmithSubstituted forAaronsat 82’minutes6Mepham27Zabarnyi3KerkezBooked at 53mins14ScottBooked at 55minsSubstituted forMooreat 81’minutes29BillingSubstituted forTavernierat 61’minutes24SemenyoSubstituted forBrooksat 74’minutes10Christie19KluivertSubstituted forTraorèat 74’minutes9SolankeSubstitutes7Brooks8Rothwell11Ouattara16Tavernier21Moore22Traorè25Senesi37Aarons45Plain
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
62Kelleher
2Gomez32Matip78Quansah21Tsimikas
19Elliott3Endo17Jones
11Salah18Gakpo8Szoboszlai
62Kelleher2Gomez32Matip78Quansah21Tsimikas19ElliottSubstituted forNúñezat 60’minutes3EndoSubstituted forAlexander-Arnoldat 61’minutes17JonesSubstituted forMac Allisterat 61’minutes11Salah18GakpoBooked at 55minsSubstituted forJotaat 81’minutes8SzoboszlaiSubstituted forGravenberchat 76’minutesSubstitutes4van Dijk5Konaté9Núñez10Mac Allister13Adrián20Jota38Gravenberch48Scanlon66Alexander-Arnold
Referee:John Brooks
Attendance:11,116
Live Text
Match ends, Bournemouth 1, Liverpool 2.
Second Half ends, Bournemouth 1, Liverpool 2.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Darwin Núñez (Liverpool).
Delay in match because of an injury Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth).
Attempt blocked. David Brooks (Bournemouth) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Hamed Traorè.
Foul by Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool).
Ryan Christie (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool).
Ryan Christie (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Chris Mepham (Bournemouth).
Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Hamed Traorè (Bournemouth).
Attempt missed. Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Kostas Tsimikas with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Chris Mepham.
Attempt blocked. Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Diogo Jota.
Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth).
Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Jarell Quansah.
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