Late drama seals Liverpool's thrilling victory over Bournemouth in emotional Anfield opener

The game, marked by heartfelt tributes to the late Diogo Jota, saw the Reds' new-look squad battle through defensive lapses before late strikes from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah clinched a dramatic victory.

The atmosphere was electric from the outset, with fans delivering a spine-tingling rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone in memory of Jota and his brother André Silva, who tragically lost their lives in a car accident in July. A minute's silence was impeccably observed, and a mosaic displaying "DJ20" and "AS30" adorned the stands, while a banner on The Kop read: "Rute, Dinis, Duarte, Mafalda-Anfield will always be your home. You'll Never Walk Alone."

Liverpool have retired Jota's No. 20 shirt, and a permanent memorial sculpture is planned at Anfield to honour his legacy.

Arne Slot, Liverpool's head coach, fielded a revamped side featuring four Premier League debutants, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong, following a 300 million pound summer spending spree.

The Reds started brightly, with Salah's curling effort denied by Bournemouth goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic. Controversy erupted in the 12th minute when Marcos Senesi appeared to handle the ball to stop Ekitike's run, but VAR waved away Slot's protests.

Ekitike broke the deadlock in the 37th minute, capitalising on a fortunate deflection off Senesi from Alexis Mac Allister's pass to fire past Petrovic.

Five minutes after the break, Ekitike turned provider, setting up Cody Gakpo, who danced past two defenders and slotted home to make it 2-0.

Bournemouth, however, refused to buckle. Antoine Semenyo pulled one back in the 64th minute, finishing a precise cross from David Brooks after a swift counter-attack.

Semenyo then stunned Anfield with a breathtaking equaliser, surging from his own half through a gaping Liverpool midfield to rifle a shot past Alisson Becker. The Ghanaian's brace exposed defensive frailties that Slot admitted have plagued the Reds since pre-season. "We sprinted back hard, but we must avoid losing the ball in dangerous areas," Slot said, reflecting on the need for better control.

Just when a draw seemed likely, substitute Chiesa, whose limited game time last season had sparked speculation about his future, reignited Anfield. The Italian pounced on a loose ball in the 89th minute to restore Liverpool's lead, sending The Kop into raptures.

Salah sealed the win in stoppage time, racing clear to score his 10th opening-day goal in the Premier League and paying tribute to Jota with a mimicked celebration. The Egyptian broke down in tears post-match as fans chanted Jota's name.

Slot described the atmosphere as "unbelievable," particularly in the final minutes. "I thought winning the league last season would always be more special, but those last six or seven minutes, wow," he said. "It was a great game to watch, full gas for 99 minutes."

He reserved special praise for the tributes to Jota, noting their emotional weight for the player's family. "The tribute for Diogo was so impressive and powerful. His wife and children are here, and it might be special for them to hear how much he's loved," Slot added.

The match was briefly halted when Semenyo reported an alleged racist incident from a Liverpool supporter, who was removed by police at half-time. Bournemouth captain Adam Smith called the incident "totally unacceptable," and Liverpool confirmed an ongoing police investigation.

On X, Liverpool's official account shared Virgil van Dijk's pre-match comments, expressing the squad's desire to honour Jota's memory: "We want to make tonight about Diogo and play in a way that reflects his spirit." Slot's pre-match press conference, streamed live from the AXA Training Centre, underscored the emotional significance of the occasion.

Despite defensive concerns, Liverpool's resilience and attacking flair shone through, setting the tone for their title defence. Bournemouth, left reeling by late lapses, face an uphill battle to end their Anfield hoodoo, but Semenyo's heroics showed their potential to trouble top sides.