Liverpool’s Premier League opener at Anfield was a night of emotion, controversy, and individual brilliance. The evening, dedicated to the memory of the late Diogo Jota, was lit up by Hugo Ekitike’s stunning debut goal but soured by a VAR decision that left fans and pundits fuming.
The breakthrough came in the 40th minute when Ekitike, Liverpool’s £30 million summer signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, collected a perfectly weighted pass from Alexis Mac Allister just inside Bournemouth’s half. With dazzling close control and blistering pace, he ghosted past Milos Kerkez, Marcos Senesi, and Illia Zabarnyi before calmly slotting past Djordje Petrovic. Anfield erupted, and Ekitike’s tribute — pointing skywards and holding aloft a “Jota 20” shirt — was a moment that resonated far beyond the stadium.
But the mood shifted in the 63rd minute. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross struck Kerkez’s outstretched arm inside the box, halting a clear chance for Mohamed Salah. Liverpool’s players, led by captain Virgil van Dijk, demanded a penalty and a red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Referee Anthony Taylor waved play on, and after a quick VAR check, Paul Tierney upheld the no-call, ruling the arm position “natural” and the contact “accidental.”
The decision ignited fury on social media. One fan described it as “a robbery in daylight,” while pundit Gary Neville wrote, “That’s a penalty in any league but this one. VAR’s inconsistency is killing the game.”
The game’s emotional weight was evident from the start — a minute’s silence, black armbands, and a breathtaking fan mosaic of “Jota 20” covered The Kop. In the 20th minute, Jota’s wife, Rute, and their children received a tearful standing ovation from the 60,000-strong crowd.
As the match moved into its final stages, Liverpool pressed for a second goal against a stubborn Bournemouth side, with the narrative defined as much by Ekitike’s magic as by the call that got away.
