Liverpool manager Rodgers hails Benteke for display against Bournemouth

But the evening was not without its controversies, with the visitors – who had a goal harshly ruled out after five minutes – complaining that Benteke’s goal should not have stood with Philippe Coutinho having approached the ball before Benteke from an offside position.

Bournemouth had an early goal ruled out for a foul, whilst Benteke’s goal should have been struck off – with Coutinho in an offside position.

The Brazilian also played at the ball while it was close to him and goalkeeper Artur Boruc appeared affected by his movement, all in apparent contravention of the latest interpretation of the offside law.

Christian Benteke’s controversially goal was enough for the reds to earn all three points at Anfield in a very interesting match full of action in both halves and both sides of the pitch.

“We knew it’d be tough against a team that have just come up”, Milner said.

“His hold-up play is outstanding”.

But he was deemed to have pushed his Liverpool counterpart down as he attempted to gain the height to make contact with the ball and, speaking after the game, Elphick revealed his frustrations at seeing his side lose in controversial fashion.

In their first meeting with a Premier League titan, Bournemouth had all the qualities to take control of their fate and survive in the Premier League. Hopefully it’ll also reinforce that we can go anywhere in the country and compete.

“In the end we stayed up comfortably and I think Bournemouth will be the same”.

“Thankfully the goal counted and we’re happy to get the win“, said Rodgers.

On Monday Bournemouth travel to Anfield to challenge Liverpool, whose manager Brendan Rodgers shares a similar reputation for encouraging attacking football and whom Howe has already described as a “role model”. “It gives us a different dimension to our game and the fluency will come”.

Skipper Elphick, a boyhood Liverpool fan, leapt highest in the box to slam home a header from a corner, and was peeling away to celebrate when referee Craig Pawson blew up to disallow it for a soft foul on Lovren.

Not since 2010 have Liverpool lost a Premier League game when winning at half-time but they were given a stern examination by the Cherries, who continued to play with a sense of enterprise, albeit without overly troubling their opponent’s goal, throughout the second half. I want feedback on the decisions.

“We know there’s room for improvement and we’re working hard in training to achieve that”, Lallana said.