PREM: Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool

Mohamed Salah celebrates his goal to put Liverpool ahead

Mohamed Salah scored a hat-trick as Liverpool went to the top of the Premier League with a 4-0 win at Bournemouth.

Having not scored in three games, Salah gave Liverpool a controversial lead (25), converting from close range having been in an offside position as Asmir Begovic fumbled from Roberto Firmino's effort.

But there was nothing contentious about Salah's second (48), slotting into the far corner after Steve Cook had handed the ball to Liverpool high up the pitch, and Cook's day got worse as he put through his own net for the third (68).

Salah then got his third, rounding Begovic twice to coolly slot home (77), and the Reds remained top of the league at the end of the day as Chelsea ended Manchester City's unbeaten run with a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

The win also means Liverpool matched their record of 17 Premier League games unbeaten, set in 2008.

Despite Liverpool dominating the early possession, Bournemouth forced Alisson into the first save as David Brooks saw his shot from a tight angle beaten away at the near post.

But Liverpool took the lead on 26 minutes as Firmino's dipping half-volley from the edge of the box proved too hot for Begovic to handle, squirming out for Salah to convert from close range. However, replays showed Salah was fractionally offside from Firmino's shot.

Outside of the box, Salah's touch was amiss for the first hour, but the Egyptian was back to his deadly best inside it. After Cook had given Firmino the ball on a plate on halfway, the Brazilian fed Salah, who stayed on his feet after a cynical Cook tackle before rolling it into the far corner.

Josh King, in for injured top scorer Callum Wilson, could have halved the deficit soon after, but didn't get his shot away from close range, seemingly expecting a challenge from Alisson.

Cook then turned into his own net midway through the second half, hooking Andy Robertson's left-wing cross behind him and beyond Begovic's grasp as the defender attempted to clear.

And Cook's day to forget was capped off late on as he struggled in a foot race with Salah, made a hash of his sliding clearance, and allowed last season's top scorer to round Begovic twice and poke home nonchalantly for his 10th league goal of the season.