Liverpool went nine points clear at the top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon. Two goals from Mohamed Salah did the damage to the hosting Cherries, whose 11-game unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of the leaders on the south coast.

The ECHO, as ever, was at the Vitality to run the rule over proceedings and you can read our extensive match-day coverage in full here: Player ratings, big-match verdict, post-game analysis, Arne Slot's reaction and live blog all formed part of the day's reporting.

Our colleagues from the national media were also on hand to provide their own considered appraisals. Here's what they made of it on the day as the Reds took a big step forward in their aims to win the title.

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The Daily Mail's Lewis Steele reflects: "Bournemouth has been a bit of a graveyard this season. The big boys have rocked up to the south coast only to make the arduous trek home beaten black and blue after being slated and outplayed by Andoni Iraola’s effervescent, warrior-like workhorses.

"So with that in mind, let us not underestimate the gravity of Liverpool coming down here and winning. They matched the Cherries for fighting spirit, stood tall as the home team threw everything at them – and most importantly, converted their own chances with prolific nature.

"Arsenal came here and lost, champions Manchester City were played off the park and Nottingham Forest, their rivals for the surprise package of the season, were obliterated 5-0 on this turf. So this victory was one that underlined just why Liverpool are champions-elect.

"Fans will not like that statement in fear of a jinx job, but look at the evidence: Mohamed Salah showed again why he is the best player in the league, boss Arne Slot proved again how he can outsmart other tactical wizards and Virgil van Dijk bullied the league’s most in-form forwards.

"Salah scored in both halves to confirm the win which takes Liverpool nine points clear of second place. Over to you, Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta’s side hosting Pep Guardiola and Manchester City on Sunday. Lose that and the champagne corks could soon be popping at Anfield."

Over on The Guardian's pages, John Brewin writes: "Liverpool marched on, though with no little relief, their post-match celebrations reflecting the importance of victory. Arne Slot’s team had not triggered the traps Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth had used to snare the top-four contenders Manchester City, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest this season.

"It was Mohamed Salah who snatched the three points. If his first came after a highly debatable penalty award, the second, a left-foot chip like a prime Tiger Woods approach shot, was a goal of inarguable beauty.

"In negotiating one of their most demanding remaining assignments, Slot’s team, now nine points clear, sent the pressure back into Arsenal’s fraying mindset. Salah’s goals are guiding Liverpool to their key objective. 'My main target is to win the Premier League with the team, we are going in the right direction,' said the Egyptian king.

"A game too far for Bournemouth? Where Liverpool fielded the same XI that swept aside Ipswich last week, their near fully-fit squad offered options. Curtis Jones’s second-half arrival brought energy and improvement when necessity demanded Iraola’s starting selection was again down to the players he has available."

The Mirror's Oli Gamp muses: "Liverpool will be relieved that VAR got things spot on during their game against Bournemouth seeing as a referee who earned the wrath of supporters made his return to a Reds game. Fans might remember Darren England, who was the VAR overseeing the farcical overturning of Luis Diaz's goal against Tottenham last season.

"England and Dan Cook were in charge of checking the goal and failed to draw offside lines to see if the Colombian was on or off. England appeared to be blacklisted from Liverpool games for the rest of the 2023-24 season and this was the first game he had refereed since.

"His previous Liverpool game before this was in May 2023 - and some fans might have been dubious about the announcement he would be the man in the middle here."

Watching for The Independent, Robert O'Connor writes: "The league’s top scorer Salah, as so often during this wonderful Liverpool season, was the difference, scoring a penalty in the first half and a brilliant solo goal in the second to secure his team’s 17th win in their 23 games, but along the way Bournemouth put up a real fight.

"Things did not go the home side’s way during a first half in which they hit the post, had a goal disallowed and fell behind following a contentious penalty award.

"Iraola’s side came at Liverpool early. Alisson was alert to deflect behind Justin Kluivert’s near-post drive following a poor defensive header from Trent Alexander-Arnold, the closest either side came to scoring in the opening 20 minutes, before Antoine Semenyo left Liverpool’s goalframe quaking with a bullet effort against the woodwork.

"It was from a quick transition, the kind at which Bournemouth have excelled this season, that Liverpool won their penalty. Cody Gakpo seemed to have got clear of Lewis Cook as the pair chased a long ball into the home side’s box. The Liverpool player tripped, though there was more than a suggestion that he may have stumbled over his own foot. VAR upheld Darren England’s on-field decision, and from the spot Salah slipped the ball just beyond the dive of Kepa for 1-0.

"A hairline VAR call denied David Brooks an equaliser, Milos Kerkez judged to have been fractionally offside before his teammate lashed in what would have been a wonderful goal. The officials left the field at half-time to a chorus of boos from home supporters who felt the visitors owed their lead to two botched decisions."