AFC Bournemouth stunned Liverpool in dramatic fashion at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, January 24, 2026, snatching a last-gasp 3–2 Premier League victory that will be talked about for days. The Cherries scored with virtually the final touch of the match — and the defeat has raised serious questions about Liverpool’s form, fitness and mental resilience this season.

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⚽ The Rollercoaster Match: How It Unfolded

🟡 Bournemouth Take Control

Bournemouth started the scoring in the 26th minute when Evanilson capitalised on a Liverpool defensive lapse, converting after some sloppy defending from Virgil van Dijk. That lead was doubled just minutes later by Álex Jiménez, catching Milos Kerkez out and compounding Liverpool’s early defensive problems.

🔴 Liverpool Fight Back

Liverpool responded just before halftime through Virgil van Dijk, who nodded in from a corner to give the Reds hope. In the 80th minute, Dominik Szoboszlai curled a brilliant free-kick into the net, assisted by a Mohamed Salah flick, and it looked as if Liverpool might rescue a point.

⚡ Last-Second Drama

But deep into stoppage time — in the fifth minute added on — Bournemouth launched a long throw into Liverpool’s penalty area. A scramble followed, and Amine Adli bundled home the winner, sending the home fans into ecstasy and condemning Liverpool to a stunning defeat.

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😡 Arne Slot’s Reaction — Anger, Fatigue, and Officials

Immediately after full-time, Liverpool boss Arne Slot was visibly furious. Instead of heading straight down the tunnel, Slot confronted the match officials, arguing about decisions and the handling of stoppage time. He was joined by players including captain Van Dijk in heated exchanges on the pitch at the final whistle.

In his post-match comments, Slot admitted Liverpool “ran out of energy” in the closing stages, blaming the packed fixture schedule — including a midweek Champions League trip — and an injury-depleted squad for the collapse. He pointed out that his side had played with the same core players repeatedly, leading to exhaustion that showed late in the game.

Slot also hinted at frustration over the amount of added time, suggesting more should have been given due to VAR checks, substitutions and stoppages — a point that fuelled his confrontation with the officials after the match.

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🧠 Tactical & Squad Troubles

🔍 The defeat exposed several deeper issues:

Liverpool’s defence looked shaky throughout, with errors contributing to Bournemouth’s first two goals.

Joe Gomez was forced off injured, which left the Reds shorthanded at the back.

Liverpool’s bench options were limited, and several key players have been unavailable due to injuries this season.

Many fans and pundits have questioned Slot’s game management and his ability to react to crisis moments — especially the decision-making around substitutions and in-game tactics.

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📊 What This Means for Liverpool

This result is a damaging one on several fronts:

❌ It ends Liverpool’s 13-game unbeaten streak.

🔄 Liverpool have now gone five Premier League matches without a win, despite creating plenty of chances.

📉 Their position in the top-four race is now shaky, with rivals ready to leapfrog them in the table.

The loss also rekindles debate about Slot’s future and whether Liverpool need to rethink their strategy mid-season.

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🗣️ Reactions From The Camp

Arne Slot openly blamed fatigue and fixture congestion, stressing that his players “ran out of energy” and explaining why he felt the season’s schedule has taken its toll.

Virgil van Dijk acknowledged defensive mistakes and the frustration of conceding so late, while also defending team effort amid setbacks.

Many supporters online have voiced anger at the team’s inconsistency, poor decision-making in key moments, and tactical shortcomings from the bench.

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🏁 Final Score Recap

AFC Bournemouth 3 — 2 Liverpool
📍 Vitality Stadium
🕘 24 January 2026

Goals:

Bournemouth: Evanilson (26′), Álex Jiménez (33′), Amine Adli (90+5′)

Liverpool: Virgil van Dijk (45′), Dominik Szoboszlai (80′)