Salah Leads Liverpool to Easy Win against Bournemouth (3-0)

Mohamed Salah returned to lead Liverpool to an easy 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday, scoring a goal and beautifully assisting another in the process.

The Reds made seven changes but still earned themselves a win after goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Salah extended their Premier League lead to 11 points over Leicester City, who play on Sunday.

Liverpool kept a clean sheet for the first time in 14 games chose to sideline Sadio Mane against a side whose fifth successive defeat left them one point above the relegation territory.

The Reds scored first when Jordan Henderson hit a superb ball from inside his own half for Oxlade-Chamberlain to get a first-time volley past the keeper.

Liverpool suffered their own injury blow before halftime when Dejan Lovren hobbled off with a leg strain although manager Juergen Klopp later downplayed it, saying it was "hopefully cramp".

Despite another change, Liverpool further cemented their dominance, as Keita started and finished the move for their second goal after a remarkable backheel from Salah.

Keita returned the favour to set up Salah with a simple finish after the break.

Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, 18, came off the bench to make his league debut.

Klopp praised Henderson's through ball for the first goal. "In football you have to break lines, that is how it is," he said. "With these balls you can break all the lines and it makes it difficult to defend. We have only three days and play Red Bull Salzburg in an all-or-nothing game."

Defending European champions Liverpool must avoid a loss away to Red Bull in their final Champions League group game on Tuesday to reach the knockout stages.

Bournemouth has now suffered 11 goals without reply in Liverpool's last three visits. Manager Eddie Howe said Ake's injury had affected them mentally.

"I don't like to use injuries as an excuse but there comes a time when you have to look at the situation and the teams we are playing. We lost another two players today. It is what it is," Howe said.