Cook: Cherries ‘targeted’ under-pressure Karius

The spotlight on Loris Karius has only intensified after Bournemouth centre-back Steve Cook admitted his team deliberately targeted the under-fire goalkeeper in Sunday’s spellbinding 4-3 comeback at the Vitality Stadium.

The Cherries looked ready to wave the white flag at 3-1 down with 15 minutes to go before super sub Ryan Fraser inspired one of the great comebacks in Premier League history.

Fraser scored and then set up Cook to level the scores – but what came next was the stuff of nightmares for Karius.

 (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

The 23-year-old, who was plucked from Bundesliga club Mainz at the summer, spilled Cook’s shot in the third minute of injury time and Nathan Ake was at hand to poke in the winner.

It was a plan that came together – albeit in dramatic circumstances – according to Cook.

“We did [target him], we thought that he was under a lot of pressure,” he said. “Obviously playing for Liverpool you’ve got to have a strong character.

“We did target him, we tried to pressurise him and get as many shots of possible. We did target him as a weakness in the Liverpool side.

“It was a very emotional (win). I think I’m an emotional guy anyway. I was just delighted to score, but when I had scored and was running back I was just hoping we were going to nick the draw.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d win it. So I’d say the fourth goal meant a lot more to me than my goal.”