CHERRIES suffered a 3-0 defeat on Merseyside as their away-day woes were extended by a dominant Liverpool side.

Goals from Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Mohamed Salah took the Reds top of the Premier League.

It was the first time in 35 years that Cherries had suffered eight straight away defeats in the league, an unwanted statistic they had recorded in the old Division Three.

Mane headed the Reds in front midway through the first half and Wijnaldum doubled the lead with a deft finish.

Salah tucked away a third following tremendous move, increasing to six goals in four league appearances his tally against the Dorset club.

Cherries boss Eddie Howe made three changes to the side which had slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Cardiff.

Out went Dominic Solanke and thigh injury victim Junior Stanislas, while loan ace Nathaniel Clyne was ineligible to feature against his parent club.

In their places came Jordon Ibe and Diego Rico – making their first league starts of 2019 – and Jefferson Lerma, who was fit following an ankle problem.

Six of the seven players named on the Cherries bench were aged 23 or under, while Charlie Daniels was not included in the squad due to family reasons.

Two minutes in, Ibe set free Ryan Fraser on the left side of the box. The Scotland international cut inside but Alisson parried to safety the winger’s far corner-bound effort.

Liverpool enjoyed bags of possession in the early stages and Salah dipped inside Rico before unleashing an uncharacteristically wayward drive.

Boruc was quickly out to block an angled shot from Roberto Firmino before a Salah strike deflected into the Pole’s grateful arms.

While Cherries were disciplined in their shape, they were struggling to break out of their defensive third and eventually the pressure told in the 24th minute.

From Naby Keita’s pass, James Milner’s right-wing cross was headed downward and into the net by Mane, who had been deemed narrowly onside.

Salah might have extended the advantage following a breakneck counter. Following good work by Firmino and Wijnaldum, the ball struck the Egyptian’s standing leg as he swung his left boot.

It did not take Liverpool long to find their second, however. Ibe gave away the ball on the right flank, enabling Andrew Robertson to float a pass over the top which Wijnaldum controlled beautifully, before lifting an exquisite lob over Boruc.

The visiting keeper was called on to prevent further damage shortly before the break, tipping over from Salah after Cherries had failed to clear their lines.

And there was still time for Jefferson Lerma to be narrowly off target with a half-volley from the edge of the box.

Three minutes into the second period, matters got worse. Keita fed the ball behind the Cherries defence and Firmino showed wonderful awareness to backheel to Salah, who calmly slotted past Boruc and into the far corner.

Mane should have had his second soon after. Wijnaldum floated a lovely delivery to the back post but the Senegal star, completely unmarked, contrived to head across the face of goal.

Just before the hour, Howe sent on former Liverpool frontman Solanke in a bid to get further service to Joshua King, who had been ploughing a lone furrow.

Mousset was later put on and within moments, had driven forward and sent a piledriver a couple of yards wide.

Salah came within a whisker of his second when he played a neat one-two with Firmino and stroked against the bar with Boruc beaten.

A rare chance for Cherries was crafted when Fraser released Mousset on the right side of the area and with few options in the middle, he smashed high towards the near post, where Alisson palmed over.

Keita should have got on the scoresheet after the ball fell kindly to him 11 yards out but the former Leipzig star smashed into the Kop.

And Firmino wasted an even better opportunity when he shot weakly at Boruc when clean through.

The ex-Celtic stopper did well to deny substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold and in the closing minutes, Solanke fired wide after spinning away from Robertson.

MATCH STATS

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Milner, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum (Alexander-Arnold, 77), Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Firmino (Sturridge, 90), Mane (Origi, 78).

Unused subs: Camacho, Henderson, Lallana, Mignolet (g/k).

Booked: Matip, Robertson.

Cherries (4-5-1): Boruc; Smith, Cook, Ake, Rico (Mepham, 80); Ibe (Solanke, 59), Gosling, Lerma (Mousset, 73), Surman, Fraser; King.

Unused subs: Simpson, Taylor, Surridge, Begovic (g/k).

Booked: Rico, Smith.

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).

Attendance: 53,178.