Howe wants answers over refereeing decisions

“In my time here, that’s never really happened and the ball’s come in and maybe been cleared out, but because of his physicality and contact, he keeps the ball alive in a unsafe area of the field”.

“He wanted to give it a go, but you could see he was limited in his running”. His hold-up play is outstanding and has a wonderful touch for a big guy.

“His touch was good, you saw him link and combine [with his teammates]”. We have seen that already. It was a great ball in and if that is a free kick then we are going to be seeing free kicks every time there is a corner.

“And that will really help”.

“But ultimately the performances and the general aspects of our play have been very good”. We were in the game, the big decisions have gone against us.

Liverpool become the fourth team to make it two wins out of two after the second round of Premier League games, along with fellow pace-setters Manchester City, Manchester United and Leicester.

If Liverpool’s goal wasn’t galling enough for Bournemouth, they had a goal of their own ruled out when the referee Craig Pawson decided that Tommy Elphick’s effort was invalid because of a foul on Dejan Lovren.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, under pressure to deliver this season, was happy to take the lucky breaks that came his side’s way.

Aside from a spell of dominance either side of the goal, the Reds lacked fluency, although Benteke nearly grabbed a second late on with a deflected shot onto the bar. We were assured it wouldn’t be and would be adhered to correctly. “He’s a yard and a half offside, and clearly impacts the keeper, so if that is not offside under those rules, what will be?” That was not a tough one.

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has said that he wants feedback from the officials about the decisions they made. “We have a lot of new players who are finding their feet”.

Watch Liverpool’s next game, away at Arsenal in the Premier League, live on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7pm.

Benteke’s goal, by virtue, shouldn’t have counted, but it was captain Elphick’s disallowed header in the fourth minute that means Bournemouth and Howe leave Anfield doubly aggrieved by the result.