Mohamed Salah scored his 20th goal of the season as Liverpool ran out 4-0 winners at Bournemouth.

A second trip to the South Coast this month saw the Reds return to winning ways as Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring with a well-taken finish.

Dejan Lovren’s diving header doubled the visitors’ advantage against the Cherries before Salah notched his 14th strike in as many games for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Any hopes of Bournemouth repeating their comeback in last season’s game were ended after the interval as Roberto Firmino rounded off Liverpool’s rout.

Here were the key talking points from the Vitality Stadium:

Lovren finally back on song

 

Dejan Lovren’s season has been largely underwhelming but there are sign that the good times may be around the corner again for the Liverpool defender.

Both he and Ragnar Klavan had a fairly easy task in containing Bournemouth’s attack with only an ageing Jermain Defoe playing up front.

Aside from a mishap that allowed Defoe to sneak between the defensive gap before hitting the post, Lovren produced one of his more assured performances.

He was rewarded with a first goal of the season after Roberto Firmino somehow hooked the ball back across the penalty area and into his path.

There will be tougher opponents to come but Lovren and his Liverpool teammates will take this as another much-needed confidence boost.

How long can Coutinho be kept?

 

Once again, Philippe Coutinho was absolutely outstanding for the Reds, with a wonderful solo effort which took out all four of Bournemouth’s defenders.

But with the winter transfer window fast approaching, the rumour mills will start to go into overdrive with regards to the Brazilian playmaker’s future.

Depending on whether Barcelona return for him in January or next summer, the weeks or months ahead may prove the final embers of Coutinho’s Anfield career.

If it is sooner rather than later, the 25-year-old’s time at the club should be remembered fondly as he continues to prove nothing short of wondrous.

Reds’ rotation is working again

 

Liverpool rang the changes and, this time, it didn’t backfire on Jurgen Klopp.

Four players made way but three-quarters of the Fab Four were still able to wreak havoc on a Bournemouth back like that looked overwhelmed almost immediately.

Klopp could even afford to not even bring Sadio Mane on as this game proved to be yet another enjoyable trip to the South Coast for his team this month.

With Firmino, Coutinho and Salah giving Liverpool such a comfortable advantage it afforded an opportunity to finally bring Adam Lallana back into the fold.

A busy Christmas schedule beginning with Friday’s trip to Arsenal sees Klopp’s side in good shape to handle the festive workload far better than previously.

Salah joins Anfield’s master marksmen

 

Another game, goal and place in Liverpool’s history for Mohamed Salah.

The Egypt international’s latest strike saw him reach 20 goals for the season in all competitions in the fourth-quickest time of the Anfield record books.

It was inevitable after he had twice cut in from the right and curled a left-footed effort over the bar before doing it a third time and keeping his shot down, on target and past the despairing reach of Begovic.

Only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt, twice, have bettered Salah’s current rate.

There may have been reservations amongst fans when Liverpool the cash on him in the summer but he has already justified the price-tag, and then some.