Bournemouth, England - In a dramatic Premier League encounter on January 24, 2026, Liverpool fell to a 3-2 defeat against AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. The match saw a late goal from Amine Adli, securing the win for the home side after Liverpool had fought back from a 2-0 deficit.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot attributed the loss to fatigue within his squad. "For the last five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 games, we mainly have to play with the same players, the players we have available and then sometimes a few of them could be, in the end of the game, a bit tired," Slot said in post-match interviews. He added, "I think that's what you could see today in the end as well".
Bournemouth took an early lead, with goals from Evanilson and Alex Jimenez in the first half. Liverpool responded, with Virgil van Dijk scoring just before halftime and Dominik Szoboszlai equalizing in the 80th minute. The game appeared headed for a draw until Adli's late winner in the 95th minute. The goal was a result of a scramble following a long throw-in from James Hill.
Slot also commented on the referee's decision to add only four minutes of stoppage time, suggesting that the game warranted more. "But in the end, that didn't matter because they scored, although maybe we could have had them two or three (more) minutes but this game should not have had (only) four minutes of extra time," Slot stated.
The defeat marks another setback for the reigning champions, who have struggled to maintain the form that led them to the 2024/25 title. They have now lost seven league games this season. Meanwhile, Bournemouth's manager Andoni Iraola expressed his delight with his team's performance and resilience. "It is a massive win for us because we were in a difficult situation," Iraola told the BBC. "We are finding ways to get points against difficult opposition. I am very proud of the team and what we are doing. We are adapting, and we are getting good points".
The match was a thrilling affair with both teams creating opportunities. However, Slot felt that Bournemouth had the better chances in the final stages of the game. Liverpool's loss ends their 13-game unbeaten run. Bournemouth's victory moves them up to 13th in the Premier League table.
