Liverpool’s Benteke scores controversial winner

Earlier, Bournemouth’s Tommy Elphick had a header ruled out for a foul. “It’s two big decisions that have gone against us and we’ve ultimately been punished by that”.

In fact Liverpool were extremely grateful for referee Craig Pawson getting the game’s two major decisions wrong.

Christian Benteke netted on his home debut, as Liverpool edged past Premier League new boys Bournemouth with a 1-0 victory at Anfield on Monday night. “We know the qualities we have and we know as players find fitness at this stage of the season and get more game time, our game will become better”.

“I am very proud of the performance and the players”.

“Under the new rules that’s clearly offside”. It is a yard and a half offside and he is clearly impacting.

“I didn’t say a lot to the officials”, manager Eddie Howe told BBC Sport. They did have a spell of dominance either side of the goal, and captain Jordan Henderson clipped the top of the bar, but Bournemouth fought hard.

“We’re looking at all areas of the pitch, not just that [the attacking] end”.

Marcos Rojo, who is offside when the ball is played, fails to connect with Juan Mata’s cross before the ball flies into the far corner…

“Last season he would have been correct – this goal was perfectly legitimate”.

If that is a free-kick, then we will see free-kicks every “For me the first is the goal by Tommy”.

This represents a subtle change from years past, when Coutinho would not have been offside.

Liverpool’s defence looked anxious but they were risky in attack themselves, using Benteke to knock the ball down to Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho, who buzzed around their centre forward. “If you are offside you are offside”. When the goal went in I was expecting a flag.

Winger Matt Ritchie scored 15 goals for Bournemouth last term and clipped the post on the hour mark, while in the dying embers of proceedings Benteke struck the crossbar from full-back Nathaniel Clyne’s low right-wing cross.

He said: “It is hugely frustrating”. “I got up ahead of Lovren, obviously you have to use your arms as leverage”.

Brendan Rodgers’s side make the trip to Arsenal in their next Premier League game.

Coutinho was Liverpool’s main orchestrator and the Brazilian was able to constantly find pockets of space in front of Bournemouth’s back line. “He should be offside, he was in an offside position”.