Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola will return to the Liverpool starting lineup when they take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
Liverpool will aim to continue the unbeaten start to the 2026/27 season when they lock horns with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Andoni Iraola has no new injury concerns to worry about ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Giovanni Leoni (ACL), Conor Bradley (knee), Federico Chiesa (back), and Hugo Ekitike (achilles) are the only absentees for the away side. Otherwise, Iraola has a full-strength squad for the game against his former club.
Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, the Spanish tactician confirmed there were no new absentees this weekend. He said, “No, everyone is ready to go. We are in the same place we were, with the three long-term injuries plus Federico – and the others, nothing [no concerns]. We still need to train tomorrow [Saturday] and travel but everyone is fine.”
Another topic of conversation was the rest period the two teams will have received after their respective midweek outings. Discussing that, the Liverpool head coach said, “I think we have it, I think we have an advantage. Most of the time it has been the opposite, we are the team that has played the last, but this time we played two days before they played, even if we also have played in midweek.”
“So, I think there should be an advantage there but also I know where we are going and I know the stats they have there. Not only in their stadium, overall. I think if you see the games they have lost in a long while you realise how difficult it is to beat Bournemouth. But I suppose I have also the advantage that I know them very well and they also have the advantage that they know me very well. So, you never know who is with more of an advantage in that sense.”
Alisson Becker will replace Giorgi Mamardashvili between the sticks, with Liverpool lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Bournemouth on Sunday. The backline will feature Ronald Araujo, Jeremy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, with Florian Wirtz reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Alexander Isak will lead the line for the away side, with Cody Gakpo and Bradley Barcola being the two wide attackers.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Barcola, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak
