Liverpool’s Continued Struggles: A 3-2 Defeat to Bournemouth Highlights Self-Sabotage

BOURNEMOUTH, England — If there were a Premier League trophy for self-sabotage, Liverpool would undoubtedly be its recipient. Time and again this season, Arne Slot’s squad has been the architects of their own misfortune, a trend that continued on Saturday with a late 3-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth.

The positive momentum from their recent 3-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Marseille was washed away by the rain on the south coast, as Amine Adli’s last-minute winner clinched all three points for the hosts at the Vitality Stadium.

Virgil van Dijk led the protests from the Liverpool side as the Bournemouth players celebrated their victory, but there would be no late reprieve from VAR. Once again, Slot’s men were left to reflect on their own shortcomings.

After Dominik Szoboszlai scored a stunning free kick in the 80th minute to level the match, it appeared that the tide was finally turning in Liverpool’s favor. However, neither team was willing to settle for a point, leading to missed opportunities on both sides before Adli’s decisive goal came just after the 90th minute.

This defeat marked the end of Liverpool’s unconvincing 13-game unbeaten run, intensifying the scrutiny on head coach Slot. With only four points gained from their last five matches, Liverpool risks dropping to eighth place if their competitors succeed in their fixtures this Sunday.

The team is still searching for their first league win of 2026 and has managed to collect just two points from losing positions this season, a stark contrast to the 29 points they secured from similar situations last season.

Liverpool’s struggles were epitomized in a chaotic seven-minute stretch in the first half, during which they conceded two goals and lost defender Joe Gomez to injury. Bournemouth’s opener came against the run of play following a miscleared ball by Van Dijk, which Alex Scott capitalized on to set up Evanilson for the finish.

Slot defended his captain, attributing the error to the high winds in the stadium, though it is far from the first time this season that a single mistake has cost Liverpool dearly. The visitors’ frustration grew when a collision between Alisson and Gomez during a clearance attempt forced Gomez off the field.

Inexplicably, Liverpool failed to halt play for the substitution despite Slot’s protests, and by the time Wataru Endo entered the game in the 33rd minute, they were already trailing 2-0 from a well-executed strike by Álex Jiménez.

“There were just seven minutes where I wouldn’t say we were struggling, but where the other team was also in the game, and in those minutes, we conceded two goals,” Slot remarked in the post-match conference.

“Of course, the second goal came when we were down to 10 men because of Joe Gomez’s injury. He wanted to continue but ultimately could not. Perhaps that reflects our season: every time something unique occurs, we concede. The blame lies solely with us.”

The most frustrating aspect of Saturday’s defeat for Slot was that his team managed to recover from the early setback and equalize, with Van Dijk scoring from a corner just before halftime. Slot has often lamented his team’s inefficacy from set pieces this season, as Van Dijk’s goal was only the second Liverpool had scored from corners out of 118 attempts in the Premier League.

Only Bournemouth has conceded more goals (17) from set pieces this season than Liverpool (14). Adli’s winner was the fifth goal Liverpool has allowed after the 90th minute, all of which have come in one-goal losses or draws.

“Conceding a goal is always frustrating, especially when there is no time left to respond,” Slot commented. “It’s worth noting that Bournemouth could have scored the winning goal earlier. After we equalized, some of our players seemed to run out of energy, and I can’t fault them for that given our busy schedule.”

Slot correctly highlights the limited options he currently has at his disposal. With Gomez’s injury, Liverpool is left with just two fit senior center backs, one of whom, Ibrahima Konaté, is on compassionate leave.

Striker Hugo Ekitike was benched against Bournemouth to manage his workload, while Kerkez and Frimpong also required substitutions to maintain their fitness.

With such a thin squad and an intense match schedule, Liverpool is taking a considerable risk if they do not reinforce their lineup before the transfer window closes on February 2.

The necessity for Andy Robertson to play 45 minutes at left back after Kerkez’s withdrawal further emphasizes the gamble involved in allowing him to leave for Tottenham Hotspur this month.

Liverpool’s fragility is apparent; the physical and mental resilience that characterized their title-winning campaign last season seems to have vanished. There are few signs that a turnaround is imminent, as promising performances too often give way to lackluster and error-prone displays.

As the final whistle blew on Saturday, Slot and his players exited the pitch looking dejected, soaked to the bone. Indeed, when it rains for Liverpool this season, it pours.