Liverpool make the long trip to the south coast for the lunchtime kick-off knowing a victory would temporarily put them top of the table and put some pressure on Manchester City.
Recommended bets
1pt Liverpool to win & under 3.5 goals at 13/8
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Bournemouth v Liverpool (1230 GMT) Sky Sports Premier League
The games just keep on coming and after a breathless midweek schedule these two teams have drawn the short straw with the early lunchtime kick-off as Liverpool make the long trip down to the south coast.
It's usually a fixture laden with goals as they average around three-and-a-half from their six Premier League encounters, but a combination of the hectic schedule and the early kick-off may just mean this one is a bit more sedate than usual.
Jurgen Klopp just about got away with making wholesale changes at Burnley and, while Joe Gomez will be a huge miss, the German will be confident of his new Liverpool playing their new more pragmatic style to grind out another away victory.
The Cherries have been in fine form and are a dangerous outfit at home, they were largely second best when beating Huddersfield in midweek and it's this time of year when squads are really tested to the limit.
The Reds will need their newly-found defensive skills to stem an early wave of pressure, with Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson in particular proving to be a real handful this season.
Betting guide
Prediction: Bournemouth 1-2 Liverpool (Sky Bet odds: 15/2)
The Cherries lost three of their last four defeats by this scoreline, which looks a tad conservative given how many goals have been scored in this fixture, but with the tiredness that is sure to be building up in both teams this looks the most realistic outcome.
Best bet: Liverpool to win & under 3.5 goals at 13/8
A Liverpool win to nil and away win with both teams to score are both trading at just over 2/1 and are both appealing given how dangerous Bournemouth are at home and Joe Gomez being out injured. So with just enough doubt over whether a clean sheet can be achieved in this one, preference goes for the goals total, which is probably a bit bigger than it should be purely because of the history of goals in this fixture.
Goals: Roberto Firmino anytime scorer at 13/8
Coming off the bench to score at Burnley will be a huge pick-me-up for the Brazilian, who has been a bit below par in recent games, and he is not scared of going on a run of goals.
RequestABet: Liverpool win, under 3.5 goals, 10+ match corners, C. Wilson 1+ shot on target & M Salah 2+ shots on target
Bournemouth v Liverpool - Opta stats
- Bournemouth have lost four of their six Premier League matches against Liverpool (W1 D1), losing both matches last season by an aggregate score of 0-7.
- Liverpool’s only defeat in 13 previous matches against Bournemouth in all competitions (W9 D3) came at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League in December 2016; the Reds lost 3-4.
- Bournemouth had 43 shots in their first three Premier League games against Liverpool, while facing 47; in their last three, they’ve had just 20 shots while facing 61.
- Bournemouth’s win against Huddersfield in the midweek fixtures ended a run of four successive defeats for the Cherries.
- Liverpool have won 39 points from 15 league games this season, which is their best-ever start to a top-flight league season. Only six sides (including Manchester City this season) have won more points from their opening 15 league games to a top-flight season (based on three points for a win).
- Against no side has Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe lost more games as a manager in all competitions than he has against Liverpool (7, level with Man City).
- Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino has been involved in five goals in his last five Premier League appearances against Bournemouth (3 goals, 2 assists).
- Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson has scored eight goals in his 15 Premier League games this season – he last scored more in a league campaign in 2014-15, when he netted 20 goals in 45 Championship games in Bournemouth’s promotion season.
- Alisson has remained unbeaten in his opening 15 league matches as a Liverpool player; equalling the club record in the Premier League set by Javier Mascherano in November 2007. If he plays and doesn’t lose this match, he’ll set the new outright club record.
- James Milner could make his 500th Premier League appearance in this match, becoming the 13th player to reach this landmark. Should he play in this game, he’ll become the 2nd youngest to do so aged 32y 338d old, behind only Gareth Barry (32y 219d).
