Liverpool Open 2025/26 Season with 4-2 Victory Over Bournemouth

Liverpool started their Premier League season with a 4-2 win over Bournemouth at Anfield.

Hugo Ekitike marked his Premier League debut with a goal in the 37th minute as well as an assist becoming only the second player in Premier League history to both score and assist on his debut, the first being Darwin Núñez.

The match was briefly stopped in the first half after reports of discriminatory abuse from the crowd aimed at Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.

This followed the Premier League’s on-field anti-discrimination protocol before play continued.

Cody Gakpo made it 2-0 in the 49th minute with a sharp run along the edge of the box and a low shot into the bottom right corner.

Both Ekitike and Gakpo celebrated by holding up a number 20 in tribute to their late teammate Diogo Jota.

Bournemouth fought back through Semenyo, who scored in the 64th and 76th minutes to bring the game level.

Liverpool responded with substitute Federico Chiesa, who came on in the 82nd minute and scored six minutes later to restore the lead.

Mohamed Salah wrapped up the win in the 94th minute.

It was the tenth time Salah had scored in the opening fixture of a Premier League season more than any other player in the competition’s history.

Liverpool leave Anfield with three points from their first match. The defeat ended Bournemouth’s unbeaten run in opening-day fixtures, which had stretched back to the 2017/18 season.