Ex Hearts ace plays key role in downing Liverpool during Premier League thriller as he helps spark late bedlam
A former Hearts star has played a big part in a thrilling Premier League match that had Liverpool defeated.
Liverpool were stung by a last-gasp winner against Bournemouth - and a former Hearts star is a big reason why.
The Premier League champions were downed 3-2 by the Cherries away from home amid a difficult title defence, leaving them fourth and 14 points off leaders Arsenal. Amine Adli scored in the 95th minute to seal victory for Bournemouth after Arne Slot’s side had brought the game back from two goals down, as the Cherries cemented their place in mid-table.
At the back for Bournemouth was James Hill. It’s a name familiar to Hearts fans as he spent the second half of the 2022/23 season at Tynecastle on loan from the Cherries, who originally signed him from Fleetwood Town, featuring 17 times in maroon. He then had a spell at Blackburn Rovers on loan and has since had to play a patient game for chances at his parent club.
How is James Hill faring at Bournemouth?
Playing 40 times overall for the Vitality Stadium side, he has worked his way into a regular starter over the last month, starting and playing 90 minutes in the last five matches. His contribution against Liverpool was perhaps the most telling, striding forward and playing a defence-splitting pass to Alex Jimenez who doubled Bournemouth’s lead, after Evanilson had put them ahead.
Then as a draw seemed the obvious result, Hill launched a long throw into the box, causing chaos, before Adli prodded home to spark joyous scenes in the home end. Match winner Adli said: “I’m very happy but this goal is massive not because of me - it shows all of the work from the entire team.
“To score against Liverpool is not easy, let alone three times. They are a great team. They came back and fought, but for us it’s such an important moment to take the three points. I’m a team player. To see my teammates happy is the most important thing for me. When you see the dressing room, all the staff so happy, it’s all about the emotion.
Arne Slot on Liverpool loss vs Bournemouth
“The fans celebrating, going mad in the stadium - that’s sensational. We share these moments together. To win today is massive. We showed character, we kept fighting, and this goal is for everyone.”
Slot said post-match: “For me, four minutes of added time was not enough but in the end that didn’t matter because they score. Although then we could’ve maybe had two or three more minutes but this game shouldn’t have had four minutes of extra time. There was a free-kick that took two or three minutes, there were VAR moments, there were substitutions. That’s what I said to them (the officials).
“This time after an away game (a 3-0 win vs Marseille in the Champions League), another away game against one of the most intense teams in the league and I mainly played the same players because of the players we have available. Conceding a goal is always frustrating, but especially if there is no time left to come back into the game.”