Mohamed Salah became just the third Liverpool player in history to score 40 goals in a single season by netting once more in a 3-0 win over Bournemouth.

The Premier League’s leading scorer joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush in the 40 club with a second-half header that added to Sadio Mane’s early strike and preceded Roberto Firmino’s late goal.

Salah’s goal, his 30th in the division, not only furthered his individual case to beat Harry Kane in the  golden boot race, but also strengthened Liverpool’s grip on a top-four finish as they re-established their 10-point cushion over fifth-placed Chelsea.

(PA Graphic)

Tweet of the match

Star man – Jordan Henderson

Atletico Madrid v Liverpool – 2017 Audi Cup – Allianz Arena
Jordan Henderson pulled the strings for Liverpool (Tim Goode/Empics)

The only man Jurgen Klopp brought in from the team that beat Manchester City on Tuesday and Henderson, who had been suspended in midweek, was brilliant in both recovering possession and distributing the ball.

Salah’s scoring streak

Another game, another glut of Salah stats. His header was his 12th goal in his past seven league appearances at Anfield and he has now scored for seven successive home games in the division. The record of eight is jointly held by Hunt and Fernando Torres.

Moment of the match

Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth – Premier League – Anfield
Mohamed Salah, right, celebrates scoring Liverpool’s second goal (Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)

There was a sense this might not be Salah’s day when he failed, correctly, to win a penalty moments before his goal. But when he was spotted with another ball over the top from Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Egyptian had the nous just to nod the ball beyond the advancing Asmir Begovic.

Player ratings

Liverpool: Loris Karius 6; Trent Alexander-Arnold 8; Dejan Lovren 7; Virgil van Dijk 7; Andrew Robertson 6; Jordan Henderson 8; Georginio Wijnaldum 6; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 7; Mohamed Salah 7; Roberto Firmino 7; Sadio Mane 7. Subs: James Milner (for Mane, 77) 6, Ragnar Klavan (for Lovren, 83) 6, Dominic Solanke (for Firmino, 90) 5.

AFC Bournemouth: Asmir Begovic 6, Ryan Fraser 6, Simon Francis 6, Steve Cook 6, Nathan Ake 7, Charlie Daniels 5, Lewis Cook 7, Dan Gosling 5, Jordon Ibe 5, Joshua King 5, Jermain Defoe 5. Subs: Lys Mousset (for Ibe, 58) 5, Callum Wilson (for Defoe, 70) 5, Andrew Surman (for Lewis Cook, 73) 5.

Who’s up next?

West Brom v Liverpool (Premier League, April 21)
Bournemouth v Manchester United (Premier League, April 18)