Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admitted his side were lucky as they ended Bournemouth’s 11-game unbeaten run to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Mohamed Salah’s goals helped the leaders to a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium, the first time Andoni Iraola’s side had been defeated since November 23, but the game turned on a number of borderline decisions in the first half.
Cody Gakpo was judged to have been fractionally onside as he raced onto a long ball before being fouled in the box by Lewis Cook, with Liverpool perhaps fortunate to be awarded a penalty with replays suggesting Gakpo may have tripped himself up.
“If you want to win here maybe you need a bit of luck because the margins are so small,” said Slot. “Our penalty was just not offside, their goal on 1-1 was on the margin offside, they hit the post twice.
“We had our chances as well but it was a close call for us to win this game.
“We weren’t unlucky, let’s put it that way.”
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Bournemouth had already beaten three of the current top four at home this season and put up a real fight for the win that would have carried them into the Champions League places.
Antoine Semenyo hit the post at 0-0, Marcus Tavernier did the same as the hosts chased the game at a goal down whilst there was a wonderful save made by Allison also from Semenyo.
The game turned on the penalty decision just before the half-hour mark just as Bournemouth were looking the more likely side to break through.
“I haven’t seen it back but one of my players is on a clear one v one with the goalkeeper and he’s fallen down,” said Slot. “So either he makes a dive or they touch him. If they touch him that for me is a penalty.
“This one is nothing to do with luck, it’s a clear one v one.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold was forced off injured in the second half with Slot admitting he would be surprised if the defender is fit for Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham.
“We didn’t get the result obviously, but I think we gave us a chance,” he said. “I think we played a high-level game.
“I think the quality of the game has been quite high but against these top teams I think you need the small details to happen to your side sometimes
“We hit the post. We hit the post again. The goal, just millimetres disallowed.”
