Preview: Bournemouth vs. Liverpool – prediction, team news, lineups

After both featuring in two of the most electrifying Premier League games of the season last week, Bournemouth and Liverpool renewed hostilities at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

The Cherries surrendered a two-goal advantage in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to leaders Arsenal, while Jurgen Klopp’s ruthless men humiliated Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield.

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Bournemouth set the tone after just 9.11 seconds and scored the second-fastest goal in Premier League history at the Emirates through Philip Billing and the rest of the five-goal thriller would fit the bill perfectly.

Touring Cherries fans were in dreamland as Marcos Senesi doubled their side’s second-half lead, but their two-goal lead was quickly eradicated by Thomas Partey and Ben White before a Reiss Nelson strike sparks what was to be the craziest celebrations Emirates has ever seen. Heads were in their hands for Bournemouth’s heartbroken players, but Gary O’Neil had every right to be proud of his side’s efforts against the leaders, having also bravely attacked Manchester City in a 4- 1 the previous weekend.

However, bravery alone doesn’t put points on the board for Bournemouth, who are entrenched at the bottom of the Premier League table – behind Southampton on goal difference – but they are just one point away from leveling Leeds United at 17th place and are by medium step down and out.

Ending a four-game Premier League winless streak at the Vitality Stadium would be the first step to escaping danger for the Cherries, who have suffered three defeats this season with a two-goal and 17-point aggregate lead on the winning positions. lost.

Only Leicester City (19) have missed out on more promotion points than Bournemouth, whose nightmares at Anfield would certainly have been sparked had they seen their next opponents embarrass Man United in incredible fashion.

From Mohamed Salah becoming their all-time Premier League goalscorer, Roberto Firmino scoring an emotional seventh place and Cody Gakpo showing his former admirers exactly what they’re missing, Manchester United’s dismantling on Sunday was almost the perfect day for Jurgen Klopp . It was only at one point that the German boiled with anger when a fan ran onto the pitch in celebration, risking injury to Klopp’s players – a 16-year-old boy has since been arrested – but the Reds boss was of a different opinion. his team’s best performance in a “long, long time”.

Support for Salah, Gakpo and Darwin Nunez came before Firmino – who has now confirmed he will leave the club this summer – gave seventh heaven to the Reds, who are now threatening Tottenham Hotspur’s place in the League places champions as they escalate. fifth place. three points behind the Lilywhites with one game less.

There will soon be more pressing questions for Klopp’s men as they seek to reverse their 5-2 Champions League round of 16 deficit to Real Madrid, but a run of four wins and a draw in their last five Premier League games – with five clean sheets in tow – is exactly what the doctor ordered amid an otherwise disappointing campaign.

Klopp’s men have won just one of their last five away games in the top flight, but no Bournemouth fan needs to remember the 9-0 thrashing they received at Anfield in August – Man United supporters can understand that – and that beating gave the Reds a seventh straight Premier League win against their South Coast counterparts.

Bournemouth gave Arsenal a good run for their money despite losing two other players to injury before the match when Jefferson Lerma and Hamed Traore missed the muscle loss in the loss to City a week earlier. However, neither is harboring anything serious and could return here, while Ilya Zabarnyi, Marcus Tavernier and Lloyd Kelly also have slim chances to play, but Matias Vina, David Brooks and Junior Stanislas should all lose.

Even if Lerma is passed, Joe Rothwell won’t easily give up his place after giving Senesi his corner to go home against Arsenal, but Antoine Semenyo can expect to drop if Traore gets the go-ahead.

As for Liverpool, there has been little movement in the treatment room at Anfield, with Thiago Alcantara, Luis Diaz and Calvin Ramsay all still out, while Arthur has yet to be considered for the first team since undergoing surgery to the thigh.

Whether Joe Gomez and Naby Keita can also shrug off their muscle problems remains to be seen, but Klopp shouldn’t take any unnecessary risks ahead of next week’s trip to the Bernabeu.

Wednesday’s match may be playing on Klopp’s mind, but the Liverpool manager will certainly see no reason to change the XI that tore Man United apart, marking a fresh start for Harvey Elliott ahead of fellow protégé Stefan Bajcetic. Possible starting lineup from Bournemouth:
Net; Smith, Mepham, Senesi, Stephens, Zemura; Ouattara, Billing, Rothwell, Traore; solanka

Liverpool’s possible starting lineup:
Alison; Alexandre-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliot, Fabinho, Henderson; Salah Gakpo Nunez

We say: Bournemouth 0-3 Liverpool

With all three fronts beginning to gel in the new look and a top-flight backline proving consistently resilient in the Premier League, Liverpool should face little resistance on their way to a three-point routine.

Bournemouth’s attacking efforts against Man City and Arsenal are to be applauded, but even the odd consolation goal should be a step too far for the Cherries as Liverpool continue their top-four attack.