BOURNEMOUTH – Liverpool made seven changes but still romped to a 3-0 win at Bournemouth after goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Mo Salah extended their Premier League lead to 11 points over Leicester City, who play on Sunday.
The visitors, who kept a clean sheet for the first time in 14 games, could even afford to rest Sadio Mane against a side whose fifth successive defeat left them one point above the relegation zone.
The home cause was not helped by an injury to Nathan Ake, who limped of with a hamstring strain a minute before Liverpool took the lead.
As so often this season, a goal came from a Liverpool crossfield pass, with Jordan Henderson hitting a superb ball from inside his own half for Oxlade-Chamberlain to get a first-time volley past the advancing keeper.
Liverpool suffered their own injury blow before halftime when Dejan Lovren hobbled off with a leg strain. But there was no stopping the visitors and Keita started and finished the move for their second goal after a clever backheel from Salah.
Keita returned the favour to set up Salah with a simple finish after the break as Liverpool disappeared out of sight. To cap an awful day for Bournemouth, Callum Wilson also departed with a strain.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, 18, came off the bench to make his league debut.