Liverpool 1 (Clyne 17’) Bournemouth 0
Like a Merseyside police officer looking for a lost soul inside Anfield, Jürgen Klopp has had a long, exhausting search for his first win as Liverpool manager. It arrived at the fourth attempt as Nathaniel Clyne’s early goal earned the eight-times winners a place in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup at the expense of Bournemouth.
Eddie Howe’s makeshift team had their moments not only to extend Klopp’s sequence of three draws as Liverpool manager but to inflict his first defeat. Liverpool’s stand-in goalkeeper Adam Bogdan proved an obstinate opponent, however, ending his busy night with a crucial late stop from Matt Ritchie, while Roberto Firmino produced his finest display for his new club and the manager’s faith in several young talents was repaid.
There were high-fives and hugs all round on the final whistle as Klopp celebrated his debut Liverpool victory with every member of his back-room team, his substitutes and even a few supporters near the dugout. It was a scoreline rather than an occasion to savour.
The desire for that first win did not tempt Klopp to take the easy option of a settled, experienced side; not that he had that luxury in attack where Divock Origi led the line in place of the injured Christian Benteke, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Ings. James Milner’s suspension was an added complication and left Kolo Touré wearing the captain’s armband. It passed to substitute Martin Skrtel when the veteran defender hobbled off with a hamstring injury on the half hour.
Without pre-season friendlies to test the young talents at his disposal, the new Liverpool manager handed full Anfield debuts to Cameron Brannagan, João Teixeira and Connor Randall. It was a bold but reassuring move irrespective of Liverpool’s injury problems and their trip to Chelsea on Saturday, and a reward for the trio’s impact in training during Klopp’s three weeks in charge.
Teixeira, the attacking midfielder signed from Sporting Lisbon, played an audacious part in the breakthrough, the product of a fine, flowing Liverpool move that left Klopp jabbing the air in delight.
Origi spent much of the first half on the receiving end of furious rollickings from his manager but showed the workrate and movement demanded with a surging run down the right. The Belgium international squared inside to Firmino, the Brazilian released Teixeira behind the Bournemouth defence and, with only Adam Federici to beat but running away from goal, the 20-year-old opted to beat the keeper with an impudent back heel. A debut goal to remember beckoned until Adam Smith scrambled the ball off the line, only for Nathaniel Clyne to follow up and convert the rebound.
While Clyne savoured his first goal for Liverpool and Klopp found encouragement in an eye-catching team goal, Bournemouth were highly unfortunate to fall behind. But for Adam Bogdan’s one-man crusade against Junior Stanislas in the first half, the visitors would have established a commanding advantage. Three times Stanislas tested the Hungarian goalkeeper before the interval. Three times he was denied. The impact of costly injuries and shipping 10 goals in their previous two league outings did not show in the visitors’ confident approach.
Eddie Howe’s team came close to an early lead when the lone striker Yann Kermorgant dispossessed the dawdling Joe Allen in central midfield and instigated a Bournemouth counterattack. The fit-again, combative Harry Arter released Stanislas down the left and the midfielder had only Bogdan to beat when he cut inside the recalled Dejan Lovren. Simon Mignolet’s deputy flew off his line to smother the shot. He also tipped over a Stanislas header at close range and clawed away the former Burnley player’s attempt to beat him with a powerful free-kick angled towards the near post.
Aside from the goal, Liverpool’s brightest moments of the first half were two Firmino shots from distance that Federici saved well. Klopp said in his programme notes that it was the team’s responsibility to enthuse the crowd, not vice-versa, and a subdued Anfield atmosphere reflected the fare on display. Gradually, however, the noise increased in tandem with Liverpool’s commitment to attack.
Firmino was at the heart of the home team’s improvement, not only with a creative touch that maintained pressure on the Bournemouth goal but his willingness to press and challenge every opponent. One successful interception should have resulted in Liverpool edging into the comfort zone but, having taken the ball off the toes of Marc Pugh and surged clear into the area, the £29m summer signing from Hoffenheim dragged his shot wide of the Kop goal. Bournemouth had a chance early in the second half when Shaun MacDonald climbed highest to meet a Stanislas corner and headed a yard wide but otherwise, and despite the disruption, Liverpool’s defence was rarely stretched until a nervous finale.
Randall merited credit for his part in the clean sheet. After a difficult opening, when Bournemouth doubled up on the often unprotected full-back, the defender recovered impressively to stifle the visitors and keep them pegged back with several determined runs down the right. His linkup play with Jordon Ibe was also encouraging.
Federici saved well from a Teixeira free-kick and a powerful half-volley from the substitute Lucas Leiva but, despite yet again offering opponents a way back, Liverpool this time held firm.
Klopp is off the mark.
– Guardian Service
