Bournemouth vs Liverpool: Preview and Prediction

Bournemouth will host Liverpool at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, with both teams eager to continue their unbeaten runs in the Premier League.

Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League games, and they are coming into this game vs Liverpool on the back of two comprehensive victories over Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest. The Cherries have shown that they can beat the best teams in the Premier League, and they will look to put a dent in Liverpool’s title hopes.

Meanwhile, the visitors were beaten in the UEFA Champions League earlier this week, and it will be interesting to see if they can bounce back strongly. Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 18 Premier League games, only suffering one loss thus far in the top flight under Arne Slot.

The Reds will be desperate for all three points. With Arsenal closing in, they cannot afford to drop points here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics

Bournemouth

The home side will be without Julian Araujo due to a thigh injury, Alex Scott due to a knee injury, Luis Sinisterra due to a hamstring injury, Marcos Senesi because of a thigh injury. Meanwhile, Adam Smith misses out with a knock, Enes Unal has a knee injury, Evanilson has a metatarsal fracture, and James Hill misses out with a thigh injury. Julio Soler is away on international duty.

Bournemouth will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Liverpool, with Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal. Lewis Cook and Milos Kerkez will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out in the final third and keep things compact defensively. Illia Zabarnyi will start alongside Dean Huijsen at the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Ryan Christie will start alongside Tyler Adams in the double pivot, and they will look to help out defensively. David Brooks will reprise the no. 10 role, and he will look to create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.

Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo will start in the wide areas, and they will look to add pace and flair to the side. Finally, Dango Ouattara will lead the line for Bournemouth vs Liverpool on Saturday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Tyler, Christie; Semenyo, Brooks, Kluivert; Ouattara

Liverpool

Joe Gomez and Diogo Jota have resumed training, but Saturday’s game will likely have come too soon for the duo. The duo are likely to miss out here. Liverpool are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Bournemouth, with Alisson Becker in goal.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson will start as the full-backs, and they will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Ibrahima Konate form the central defensive partnership alongisde Virgil van Dijk.

As for the midfield unit, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch will add defensive cover and control to the side. Dominik Szoboszlai will start as the attacking midfielder, and he will look to create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.

Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz will add creativity and goals from the wide areas, with Darwin Nunez leading the line for Liverpool vs Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez

Key Stats

  • Liverpool have won 11 of their last 12 matches vs Bournemouth in all competitions.
  • Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 18 Premier League matches.
  • Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League matches.
  • 24 goals have been scored in the last six Premier League matches.
  • Liverpool have kept four clean sheets in the last six meetings vs Bournemouth.

Player to Watch

Mohamed Salah

Embed from Getty Images

The Egyptian international is our key player to watch out for. Salah was rested during the midweek UEFA Champions League clash, and he will be fresh and firing for this game. The veteran attacker will look to make a defining impact in the final third.

Salah has been unplayable this season, and he will look to create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net as well. Another goal will make him only the fifth player to score 20 times in the Premier League in five separate seasons, emulating Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Sergio Aguero, and Harry Kane. Expect another Salah masterclass.

Prediction

Bournemouth 2-2 Liverpool

Both teams are in impressive form, and this is likely to be a close contest. Neither side have lost in any of their last six league games, and it will be difficult to separate them. The two teams could end up cancelling each other out in a high-scoring draw.

Bournemouth and Liverpool have done quite well going forward in recent weeks, and both sides are likely to create plenty of goalscoring opportunities here. The Hard Tackle predicts an engrossing affair to end in a 2-2 draw.

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