READY STEADY HUGO

FOR all the money Liverpool have spent this summer it was the £10m man from last year who rescued them here.

- by CHRIS MCKENNA

Federico Chiesa was left at home for the Reds’ preseason tour and the fan favourite looked to be heading for the Anfield exit door.

Yet he enamoured himself even more to the home faithful last night as he came off the bench to fire Liverpool back in front after Arne Slot’s men had blown a two-goal lead.

With two minutes to go it looked like the champions were going to drop points on the first weekend of the new campaign. Yet they won this game twice.

Anfield debut boy Hugo Ekitike had scored one and helped Cody Gakpo get the second but then a double from the brilliant Antoine Semenyo - who earlier reported racist abuse brought Bournemouth level on a dramatic night.

Then Liverpool produced the moment that proves why they are champions. Mo Salah’s cross somehow dropped to the Italian and he pulled off an inventive and superb finish to find the corner.

Anfield erupted. There was bedlam in the stands. More than £300m spent this summer yet here was the bargain buy from last year against all the odds. What a rip-roaring start to the campaign.