Liverpool went to the top of the Premier League again as they thrashed Bournemouth 4-0, in one of their most composed and impressive performances of the season. But what were the key stats from a hugely important display at the Vitality Stadium?
Salah Scores Again And Again…And Again
Mo Salah scored his second Liverpool hat-trick, the first time he’s scored exactly three goals in a game for the Reds and his first hat-trick away from Anfield. Salah’s goals came from 1.54 xG, with two big chances buried. Salah was absolutely sensational all day, the only Liverpool player to create more than one chance and also managed to complete five of his six dribbles.
Salah’s record-breaking antics continue due to this hat-trick, as he reached 42 Premier League goals from just 52 games, making him the highest PL scorer of the Klopp era, despite not featuring in his first two seasons, the fastest LFC player to 40 PL goals, and he’s now the joint top scorer and joint top goal contributor in the Premier League with 10 goals and 4 assists in his 16 league games. What a player.
No Gomez, No Problem
Joe Gomez has been an absolutely vital part of Liverpool’s season so far, but the Reds showed that they’ll hopefully be able to manage without him for a few weeks as they turned in yet another stellar defensive performance – completely shutting out a Bournemouth side that have been very dangerous all season.
Bournemouth had eight shots, compared to LFC’s ten, but of those ten, only two hit the target, only two were inside the box, none of them were big chances, and in fact, none of them had an xG higher than 0.10 xG. Their total xG was just 0.28, which is the lowest that the Reds have conceded all season.
We all know how good VVD is, but two players that also contributed impressively were Fabinho, who won all seven of his aerial duels, and the man who replaced Gomez, Joël Matip, who made 3/3 tackles, 3 clearances and 3 interceptions.
Overall, as the tweet below confirms, Liverpool are turning in consistently strong defensive performances, totalling their best rolling 38 games defensive record for over a decade.
#LFC defence now just 24 goals conceded in the last 38 league games. That's the lowest 38-game total since Wigan (H) 2nd January 2008 https://t.co/qt2pNMMYPW
— Dan Kennett (@DanKennett) December 8, 2018
Reds Edge Closer To History
Liverpool are 17 games unbeaten now in the Premier League, their joint-longest unbeaten record in the Premier League era. That makes Alisson the first Liverpool player to be 16 league games unbeaten in their first 16 games for the club, although the Reds will be hoping that run extends even further.
Their nine games unbeaten streak away from home also gives them the best away record in the PL, with 23 points from those nine games and nineteen goals scored. As this tweet demonstrates, depending on what happens with Manchester City, Liverpool’s season is becoming increasingly historic and they’re finally finding some scary form to go along with their results.
Top-flight teams to have a better record than Liverpool this season after 16 games
Spurs 1960-61
Chelsea 2005-06
Man City 2017-18
[probably Man City 2018-19 later]That's it.
— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) December 8, 2018
The question still hovering over the Reds is whether or not they can topple City, but if they keep smashing their own, and Premier League records, then sooner or later they’ll get a shot at the Blues. Let’s just hope that they don’t miss.
