Wijnaldum returns with bang for Liverpool to show he is irreplaceable

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk tend to grab the headlines at Liverpool but unsung midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum was their true hero – defying a sore knee and diarrhoea to help get the club’s title challenge back on track.

Wijnaldum, badly missed in Monday’s below-par draw at West Ham when his absence let Mark Noble dominate, was in severe danger of missing his first Premier League game at Anfield when he felt ill on Friday night and kept away from his team-mates at the team hotel.

But he was unexpectedly passed fit after a remarkable recovery and capped a man-of-the-match performance with his second goal of the season, a delightful one-touch finish that killed off Bournemouth resistance.

Georginio Wijnaldum returned with a bang for Liverpool and dazzled against Bournemouth

‘He was nowhere to be seen on Friday. Then he produces a performance like that,’ said skipper James Milner about his 28-year-old Dutch colleague.

Jurgen Klopp was a little more graphic. ‘He had pretty much everything you don’t want to have for two nights before a match. Then he said after a couple of hours sleep, I feel good, I can play.

‘We are where we are because of the mentality of the boys. I was only concerned after Gini scored when everybody gave him a hug!’

Klopp picks Wijnaldum more than any other midfielder and on Saturday you could see why. His movement, energy and technical skill were the perfect antidote to two disappointing draws that had seen Liverpool wobble and overtaken by Manchester City.

The Dutchman scored a sublime chipped effort to put the Reds two goals in front

Bournemouth set up to stifle Liverpool and for the first quarter of the game, there was frustration in the Kop, particularly when Wijnaldum played the ball sideways to Naby Keita rather than attempting the killer pass.

But Klopp wanted patience and control in Liverpool’s build-up play, and he was right.

After 24 minutes came the breakthrough when Sadio Mane headed them in front, though Bournemouth justifiably complained of offside. From there, Wijnaldum’s consistent break-up up play coupled with clever runs behind the Bournemouth defenders were cheered to the rafters.

His personal reward came after 34 minutes when Andy Robertson spotted him just inside the right angle of the penalty area. On receiving a pass, Wijnaldum had the awareness to see goalkeeper Artur Boruc coming out and dinked the ball over his head into the top corner before breaking out into a beaming smile.

Wijnaldum showed why he is held in such high esteem by his team-mates and Jurgen Klopp

It was such a composed finish you can imagine Klopp demanding more goals from him now and at 2-0 Liverpool were home and dry, Salah later adding a third.

Salah is the darling of Anfield and the supporters regularly sing his name but Wijnaldum is their Fernandinho, irreplaceable and most missed when he’s not there.

The ovation he received when he was replaced by Klopp 14 minutes from the end was fit for a hero.

He’s featured in 24 of Liverpool’s 26 games so far. If he can stay fit, and healthy, for the remainder of the season, it could be a very special season on Merseyside.