Bournemouth-Liverpool is a match on the 21st day of the Premier League and is played Sunday at 5:30pm: TV, lineups, predictions.
After a 4-2 victory over Newcastle on New Year’s Day, which allowed them to retain first place, Liverpool turned to domestic cups. The Reds have played only two matches in the last twenty days: in the third round of the FA Cup they won 2-0 over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, while in the League Cup they have, so to speak, booked the Wembley final thanks to a 2-1 win in the first leg semifinal against Fulham.
These are two successes that have no small specific weight, especially since they came despite the absence of Momo Salah, who left for the Ivory Coast to play the African Cup of Nations with his Egypt. For a few more weeks – it will all depend on how far the Pharaohs manage to make it in the continental event – Jurgen Klopp will have to do without his best player: the Egyptian will obviously not be there even in the trip to Bournemouth, where Liverpool is on stage in the “very long” 21st day, spread out even over seven days because of various cup commitments. Yesterday Arsenal won and moved to -2 from the Reds, still ahead of everyone (in second place is Manchester City, which, however, has a match to make up).
Bournemouth threat for the Reds
Beating the Cherries would therefore mean stretching on the pursuers. The feeling, however, is that it will be far from easy for Liverpool to return home with the three points
Bournemouth, in fact, is going through a particularly good period: since last Nov. 6, Andoni Iraola’s Rossoneri have lost only one game out of nine, winning seven and drawing one. Their last outing was two weeks ago, when in the third round of the FA Cup Solanke and his teammates managed to overturn QPR, a Championship team, after going down 2-0 in the first half. Iraola has had plenty of time to prepare for this match but will have to give up several starters, such as the disqualified Semesi or Burkinabe striker Ouattara (African Cup of Nations). The hope is to recover at least fullback Kerkez. Many absentees in Liverpool as well: in addition to Salah, Endo, Tsimikas, Bajcetic, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson and Matip will also be missing.
The Prediction
Bournemouth is a team in confidence and seems on its way to a quiet salvation but against teams that are fighting for the title so far it has combined little. Absences will undoubtedly penalize Liverpool, which in any case is showing that it can do without (no one knows for how long) even Salah and is favored for the three points. Goals and spectacle should not be lacking.
Bournemouth-Liverpool likely lineups
BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1): Neto; Aarons, Zabarnyi, Mepham, Kerkez; Christie, Cook; Tavernier, Billing, Kluivert; Solanke.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Bradley, Konaté, van Dijk, Gomez; Jones, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2
