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Liverpool coach Arne Slot said his team was lucky to win 2-0 against Bournemouth. This win ended Bournemouth’s 11-game unbeaten run and put Liverpool nine points ahead at the top of the Premier League.
Mohamed Salah scored both goals for Liverpool at the Vitality Stadium. Bournemouth had not lost a game since November 23, but this time, some close decisions changed the match.
Cody Gakpo was just onside when he ran to the ball and was fouled in the box by Lewis Cook. The referee gave Liverpool a penalty, but replays showed that Gakpo might have tripped himself. Salah scored the penalty to make it 1-0.
Later, Bournemouth’s David Brooks thought he had scored, but the goal was canceled because Milos Kerkez was just offside.

“If you want to win here, you need some luck,” Slot said. “Our penalty was just not offside, their goal was just offside, and they hit the post twice. It was a close game.”
Bournemouth had already beaten three of the top four teams at home this season. They played well and tried to win again.
Antoine Semenyo hit the post when the game was 0-0. Later, Marcus Tavernier also hit the post when Bournemouth was losing 1-0. Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson made a great save from Semenyo as well.
The game changed after the penalty decision before the 30-minute mark. Before that, Bournemouth looked like the better team.
“I didn’t see the replay, but one of my players was in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper and fell,” Slot said. “If the goalkeeper touched him, then it is a penalty.”
Some people say Liverpool is lucky, but Slot disagreed: “This is not luck. It was a clear one-on-one.”
Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold had to leave the game in the second half because of an injury. Slot said he does not think Arnold will be ready to play against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday.
Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola said his team was unlucky to lose.
“We played very well, but small details changed the game,” he said. “We hit the post twice. Our goal was offside by just millimeters. Sometimes, you need luck against big teams.”
Glossary
Coach – The person who trains and leads a sports team.
Unbeaten run – A series of games without losing.
Penalty – A free shot at goal given after a foul in the penalty area.
Replay – A video showing the action again.
Offside – A rule in football where a player is too far forward when receiving the ball.
Canceled – When something is stopped or not allowed.
Goalkeeper – The player who stops the ball from going into the goal.
One-on-one – When one player is directly against another, usually the goalkeeper.
Semi-final – A game before the final in a competition.
Millimeters – A very small unit of measurement.