Crazy finish owes more to Ryan Fraser and Bournemouth’s spirit than Liverpool’s stumble

Bournemouth 4-3 Liverpool

BOU: Wilson (pen) 56’, Fraser 76’, Cook 78’, Ake 90+3’

LIV: Mane 20’, Origi 22’, Can 64’

Man of the match: Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth)

BOURNEMOUTH // When Junior Stanislas went down clutching his ankle nine minutes into the second period, Bournemouth fans probably feared the worst.

Already trailing 2-0 to Liverpool after earlier strikes from Sadio Mane and Divock Origi, the hosts were suddenly robbed of the man who had probably been their brightest attacking spark in an otherwise flat and feeble first-half performance.

They need not have worried. Ryan Fraser, Stanislas' replacement, may have made only five Premier League appearances totalling 214 minutes prior to this weekend's meeting with Jurgen Klopp's charges, but a relative lack of experience in the top tier was evidently not an accurate reflection of his ability.

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The 22-year-old, who moved to the Vitality Stadium from Aberdeen for just £400,000 (Dh1.9 million) in 2013, was the unlikely game-changer as Bournemouth overturned a two-goal deficit to record a famous victory over a team who look set to challenge for the title this term.

There were few signs of such an outcome in the opening 45 minutes, when Liverpool were superior in all departments. Their pressing game disrupted Bournemouth’s rhythm and made it difficult for their opponents to penetrate their defensive unit, with Eddie Howe’s side’s first shot not arriving until Stanislas tried his luck with a speculative effort from outside the box after half an hour.

The pattern of the match was unchanged in the first few minutes after the restart, but Fraser’s introduction following Stanislas’ injury – which Howe later confirmed was a serious one – proved to be the turning point.

A matter of seconds after entering the fray, the 5ft 4in midfielder won a penalty for his side after a clumsy challenge from James Milner. Callum Wilson confidently stroked the ball into the bottom corner of the net, but a thumping strike from Emre Can soon after restored Liverpool’s two-goal cushion and put Klopp’s men in control once more.

Fraser was not prepared to give up so easily, though. Another direct run right through the heart of Liverpool’s midfield lifted the home crowd, before the Scotland Under-21 international fired home Bournemouth’s second after Benik Afobe made a mess of Wilson’s low cut-back. He was in on the act again just two and a half minutes later, crossing for Steve Cook to grab the equaliser with a fantastic touch and finish.

The drama was not over there. Bournemouth, the momentum now firmly with them, continued to push forward as the game entered stoppage time, with their boldness rewarded as Loris Karius spilled Cook’s shot at the feet of Nathan Ake, who was on hand to convert a dramatic late winner.

Fraser was not involved in the goal on this occasion, but it was he who made the difference in a remarkable 35-minute cameo.

“He was absolutely magnificent,” Howe said of the youngster in his post-match press conference. “He’s trained like that for three or four weeks. I’m so pleased for him to do it in front of our supporters.

“Technically he’s excellent, tactically he’s excellent. He’s got fitter and fitter since he’s been here. [His size] can be a weakness but it can be a strength, too: he’s got a low centre of gravity and he manipulates the ball well.”

Liverpool, not for the first time this season, were made to rue defensive errors as they wilted under the pressure placed on them in the second half. It is a weakness they need to address, but Sunday’s remarkable turnaround owed more to Fraser’s remarkable contribution than anything else.

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