Salah’s brace gives Liverpool nine-point lead in title race

Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Mohamed Salah scored twice, including a penalty, to seal the win for the Reds.

The match was not without controversy, as Bournemouth felt aggrieved by two key decisions.

The first came when Cody Gakpo won a penalty after going down under a challenge from Lewis Cook. Salah converted the spot-kick to give Liverpool the lead.

The penalty decision was met with widespread protests from the Bournemouth players, who felt that Gakpo had gone down too easily.

However, the referee’s decision was upheld by VAR, and Salah slotted home the penalty to give Liverpool the lead.

Bournemouth’s frustration grew when David Brooks had a goal disallowed for offside.

The home side felt that the decision was harsh, and their anger was compounded when Alexis Mac Allister escaped a second yellow card for a high boot on Brooks.

Despite the controversy, Liverpool’s quality eventually told.

Salah sealed the win with a brilliant solo goal in the second half, curling the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga and into the net.

The goal was a testament to Salah’s skill and vision, as he picked up the ball on the right wing and beat several Bournemouth defenders before curling the ball into the net.

Bournemouth had their chances, with Antoine Semenyo hitting the post in the first half and Marcus Tavernier coming close in the second.

However, Liverpool’s defense held firm, and the Reds secured a valuable three points.

The win extends Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points, and they look increasingly likely to win the title.

Bournemouth, on the other hand, will feel frustrated by the decisions that went against them, but they can take heart from a spirited performance.

“We played some fantastic football today,” said Liverpool manager Nuno Espirito Santo. “The players were brilliant, and we fully deserved the win. We knew it would be a tough game, but we showed our quality and came out on top.”

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was left to rue the decisions that went against his team.

“We were not good enough today, but we were also unlucky,” he said. “We will keep working and try to get better. We have to learn from our mistakes and move on.”

The win was Liverpool’s 17th in their 23 Premier League games this season, and they look increasingly likely to win their second title in five years.

Bournemouth, on the other hand, will look to bounce back from this defeat and climb the table in the coming weeks.