Antoine Semenyo shined for his side on their opening game against Liverpool despite defeat
Liverpool great Steve McManaman has lavished praise on Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo following his standout display in the Premier League opener at Anfield.
Bournemouth faced Liverpool in their first game of the season on Friday August 15, 2025 night, with the Reds racing into a 2-0 lead through Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo before halftime.
Semenyo, however, brought the visitors back into contention with two well-taken goals in the 64th and 76th minutes. Despite his heroics, Liverpool regained control, sealing a 4-2 victory courtesy of Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah.
Reflecting on the performance, McManaman admitted he was impressed by the 25-year-old’s quality and hinted at regret that Liverpool did not sign him.
“Antoine Semenyo ran 50 yards to score that goal after he signed a long-term contract,” he said on Premier League Production.
“He is strong and built for the Premier League, and anytime he has the ball, he looks dangerous going forward and for me, he should be playing for clubs like Liverpool.”
McManaman further revealed that Liverpool had considered Semenyo during the summer transfer window before Mohamed Salah’s contract renewal ended those discussions.
“Throughout this summer, he was linked to Liverpool until Mohamed Salah extended his contract,” he added.
Semenyo will look to build on his impressive start when Bournemouth host Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, August 23.
