Antoine Semenyo hates coming up against Liverpool star after 'tough' debut - 'All I can hear'
Antoine Semenyo certainly enjoyed himself against Southampton, although the Bournemouth star won’t be in a hurry to come up against Liverpool again soon.
Southampton had absolutely no answer to the Ghana international as he inspired his side to a 3-0 lead at half-time in their Monday night encounter. Semenyo played a big hand in all three goals, including a sensational finish for the third to put Bournemouth in complete control.
Having won the free-kick for the first, with Marcus Tavernier taking it quickly to find Evanilson to open the scoring, Semenyo then ran rings around the Southampton defense before setting up Lewis Cook, whose shot deflected in off Dango Ouattara, rather cruelly depriving Semenyo of the assist.
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The 24-year-old though got the goal he deserved just a few minutes later, again turning the Southampton defenders inside out before firing low and hard past Aaron Ramsdale.
Liverpool fans saw a glimpse of the danger Semenyo poses when Bournemouth visited Anfield just over a week ago. The forward had a goal disallowed inside the opening few minutes on that day, and posed a real threat despite his side falling to a 3-0 defeat.
It seems though he isn’t too big a fan of coming up against the Reds, or facing Virgil van Dijk at least. Asked to name the defender he’d ever faced by the Earn Your Stripes TikTok channel earlier this year, Semenyo was in no doubt about the Liverpool captain.
“Hardest defender I’d say Virgil van Dijk,” says the 24-year-old. “That year that I signed we beat them 2-0 [1-0] and I came on in that game. I remember running in behind and all I can hear is that man’s footsteps. Dum, dum dum, chasing me.
“All I’m thinking is ‘this guy’s fast! He’s six foot four, six foot five and he is fast! Like, he’s got presence, you can hear him coming.
“I’m trying to focus and get my shot across and he puts me off completely. His aura just puts me off. I dragged the ball wide and I’m thinking ‘ah man.’ But it’s tough.”
Liverpool.com says: Semenyo certainly won’t be on his own in struggling against Van Dijk. After all, he is one of, if not the best defender in the Premier League.
Semenyo though certainly offered Liverpool a few problems at Anfield, and he’s looked a real livewire for Bournemouth this season, so seeing him run rings around Southampton is certainly no surprise.