DARWIN NUNEZ had been down on his luck before his trip to the south coast.
Liverpool’s Uruguayan forward had scored once in his previous 13 matches, missed a hatful of chances and had been serenaded with cruel chants of ‘You’re just a s**t Andy Carroll’ in the first half.
Yet Nunez hammered the 100th goal of his career to open the scoring, then completed this rout in injury-time.
And he also played a major role in Diogo Jota’s brace as Jurgen Klopp’s side went five points clear at the top of the Premier League after a fifth straight win in all competitions.
Nunez had netted a belting winner here in the Carabao Cup in November and must have been tempted to retaliate to his tormentors with a chorus of ‘can I play you every week?’
Manchester City may have a game in hand on the leaders but Klopp’s men are looking formidable.
They are not as strong as the irresistible side which won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League title a year later.
But despite having half of their first-choice starting line-up unavailable they were able to win away against the Premier League’s form time with a minimum of fuss.
Bournemouth’s season had been transformed by a run of seven wins in nine matches.
The turnaround was so marked that Andoni Iraola, in danger of the sack a couple of months ago, was having his name chanted continually by the home faithful.
In the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Klopp handed a full league debut to Conor Bradley at a stadium where the Reds were beaten last season.
The opening had a ‘calm before the storm’ feel about - the forecast gale-force winds had not yet materialised and neither side were able to find the killer pass in the final third.
Alexis Mac Allister, who has grown into the holding role out of necessity this season, won a succession of crunching tackles as Liverpool pinned the Cherries back for a sustained spell.
But Liverpool’s decision-making was continually poor.- and Nunez’s more than most.
Luis Diaz was caught late by a nasty challenge from Justin Kluivert but VAR wasn’t interested and the Liverpool forward was able to continue.
Bournemouth started to find some attacking rhythm before the break, Luis Sinisterra threatening on the left.
And when Kluivert sent a low centre on goal, Ryan Christie robbed his own team-mate of a glaring chance by getting in front of the centre-forward but taking an air-shot.
It summed up the first half. Things kept almost happening but nothing actually quite happened.
Klopp was out early for the second half, sitting in his dug-out before the players has emerged - and whatever message he’d delivered in the dressing room seemed to work.
Because, within four minutes of the resumption, Liverpool were ahead thanks to a move which showed the purpose and composure they had lacked in the first half.
Ibrahima Konate played an artful crossfield ball to pick out Curtis Jones, who angled a pass for Diogo Jota to slip a pass for Nunez.
The Uruguayan, so often a liability in front of goal, produced a cool first-time finish, tucking the ball past Neto and into the bottom corner.
Nunez roared at the travelling fans and Klopp punched the air.
Soon, Virgil Van Dijk was expertly blocking a Kluivert shot before Jota had a decent penalty shout after a challenge from Illia Zabarnyi.
Neto pulled off a decent save to thwart Bradley as the visitors started to stamp their authority.
Lewis Cook was booked for a foul on Bradley, sparking an angry exchange between Klopp and Bournemouth’s fitness coach fitness coach Pablo De La Torre.
Klopp sent on Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch and Gakpo was soon involved in Liverpool’s second.
Jota punted upfield for Nunez who impressively out-muscled his marker Zabarnyi and laid off for Gakpo to feed Jota, who drilled past Neto, beating the keeper at his near post.
Jota’s second was another kick in the teeth for the home supporters.
After Nunez picked out Bradley and the youngster fed the Portuguese, his initial bungled attempt at a shot sparked laughter from Cherries fans.
Yet Lewis Cook and Lloyd Kelly froze as the ball spun back to Jota who thumped it home.
Klopp had to withdraw Jones through injury late on - and David Brooks missed a late sitter for the hosts after being released by Christie.
But in injury-time, Joe Gomez delivered a wicked cross from the right and Nunez stole in at the far post to score with a delicious outside-of-the-boot finish.
