CHERRIES were outclassed by Liverpool as the visitors’ raft of attacking talent ran riot at Vitality Stadium.

Well worked goals from Philippe Coutinho, Dejan Lovren and Mohamed Salah put Jurgen Klopp’s side firmly in control at the break.

And a second-half header by Roberto Firmino put the polish on an emphatic 4-0 victory, the hosts’ misery compounded by the seemingly enforced withdrawals of Joshua King and Charlie Daniels.

Cherries missed the chance to climb to 12th in the table and remained 16th, a single point above the Premier League drop zone.

The Dorset club have failed to taste victory in six games and following a midweek Carabao Cup quarter-final against Chelsea, face league leaders Manchester City on Saturday.

Eddie Howe continued to rotate as he made five changes to the Cherries side which had narrowly lost at Manchester United on Wednesday.

Out went the entire midfield – Ryan Fraser, Junior Stanislas, Harry Arter and Dan Gosling – with Jordon Ibe, Marc Pugh, Lewis Cook and Andrew Surman coming in.

England international Jermain Defoe replaced Callum Wilson up front, the latter having undergone an injection to aid a short-term knee injury.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp elected to bring back goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, with Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also recalled.

Fewer than three minutes had passed when Liverpool created the first opening, Oxlade-Chamberlain digging out a looping cross from the right which Coutinho headed off target.

The Reds’ lively start continued when Gomez flashed a dangerous ball across the face which appeared neither a shot nor a cross.

Daniels made a courageous run out of defence and nearly set Defoe free but the frontman did not quite have the speed to fasten on to the pass.

Nathan Ake was forced into a foul on Firmino just outside the box which nearly cost Cherries in the 11th minute. Coutinho stroked deliciously round the wall and clipped the inside of the post, the ball bouncing harmlessly to safety.

The pressure continued when Salah cut back on his left foot and got away from Daniels, only to rifle into the Steve Fletcher Stand.

Although under the pump, Cherries posed a threat on the counter. Ibe tried his luck against his former club after being teed up by Defoe, his thumping strike finding the gloves of Mignolet.

With 20 minutes gone, Liverpool took the lead they deserved, a dusting of Brazilian magic descending on Vitality Stadium. Coutinho easily got away from Cherries skipper Simon Francis, ducked inside Lewis Cook’s challenge and squeezed past Asmir Begovic for a fabulous solo effort.

Salah and Firmino both went close not long after with the latter’s shot squirting behind off Adam Smith for a corner. The resultant-flag kick was helped on at the near post and hooked back across by Firmino, defender Lovren’s diving header doubling the advantage.

Cherries’ afternoon got worse when King was forced off through injury just after the half hour and was replaced by Stanislas.

When they needed a stroke of good luck, Howe’s men were cruelly denied by the woodwork. Stanislas broke from midfield and timed his through ball to perfection, Defoe’s effort clipping the inside of the left upright and rolling across the face of goal.

Liverpool – unbeaten in 11 games – were still creating plenty of chances and Begovic blocked well from Salah’s volley following a lovely one-two between the Egyptian and Coutinho.

But a minute before half-time, the resistance was broken once again. Salah powered past Daniels and skipped away from Ake after cutting back on his left peg, finishing well with a low shot through a mass of bodies.

Fraser – who had terrorised Liverpool in the equivalent clash last year – was brought on for the second half as Howe tried to turn the tide.

But Cherries were fortunate to not be four behind when the back-pedalling Ake miscued a header with Salah lurking, only for Begovic to snuff out the danger.

Begovic then left a cross which Firmino nearly got to before Cherries created their first opening of the second period. Defoe’s cute flick released Fraser but the Scotland international did not connect with the accuracy he desired.

Cherries suffered a further body blow when Daniels – seemingly injured – was taken off and replaced by Steve Cook.

Ibe was caught on the ball by Oxlade-Chamberlain and the former Arsenal man was quickly on his feet to charge at the defence, his fierce drive clipping the outside of the left upright.

Defoe was continuing his industrious showing and it required a strong left arm from Mignolet to divert the striker’s shot after he had jinked away from Lovren.

If the result had been in any doubt, Liverpool put the game firmly out of Cherries’ reach shortly after the hour. Andrew Robertson fed Coutinho, who had plenty of time to clip in a measured cross from the left corner of the box, which Firmino nodded past Begovic.

Matters quietened significantly after that. With seven minutes remaining, Oxlade-Chamberlain tried his luck but shanked high and wide, to Begovic’s relief.

Coutinho then skewed off target from range, his last act before being replaced by Danny Ings. The former Cherries ace nearly made an immediate impact, controlling Adam Lallana's pass before blasting into the side netting.

As a game wound down, Steve Cook got in a vital touch which resulted in a fresh-air shot for Dominic Solanke. The ball could easily have ended up in the net had it not been for the centre-half's intervention.

Solanke was determined to get on the scoresheet but his final effort was blocked by Begovic and Lallana headed over the bar on the follow up.

MATCH FACTS

Cherries (4-4-1-1): Begovic; A Smith, Francis, Ake, Daniels (S Cook, 56); Ibe, L Cook, Surman, Pugh (Fraser, h-t); King (Stanislas, 31); Defoe.

Unused subs: Gosling, Arter, Afobe, Boruc (g/k).

Booked: Ake.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Gomez, Lovren, Klavan, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah (Lallana, 71), Coutinho (Ings, 87), Oxlade-Chamberlain; Firmino (Solanke, 76).

Unused subs: Milner, Alexander-Arnold, Mane, Karius (g/k).

Booked: Lallana.

Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).