Liverpool travel to play an in-form Bournemouth outfit for what could be one of the Reds’ toughest Premier League challenges of the season.
Bournemouth vs. Liverpool
Premier League (23) | Vitality StadiumFebruary 1, 2025 | 3pm (GMT)
It would be difficult to cherry-pick (pun intended) a more difficult fixture than Bournemouth away at this point in the campaign.
Liverpool come into the game in a good position, though, having been able to rest almost their entire first XI for the ultimately irrelevant 3-2 defeat to PSV on Wednesday.
Here, we look at 10 of the key things to know ahead of the match.
1. 6 points & a game in hand
Liverpool now have a nine-point gap over Nottingham Forest, who sit third after being thrashed 5-0 by Bournemouth last weekend.
Arsenal, though, narrowly beat Wolves so maintained their deficit of six points having played a game more than the Reds.
On Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side face a Man City side at the Emirates who seem to have turned a corner in recent weeks, while in the Saturday lunchtime match, Forest host Brighton.
2. Positive fitness news
Arne Slot delivered some positive news on the fitness of Liverpool’s squad, declaring that Diogo Jota, Joe Gomez and Darwin Nunez are all training on Friday.
However, he did add that “we have to wait and see” on their availability to face Bournemouth and “we have to make the smartest decision for them, but also for winning the game tomorrow.”
While Slot was not asked directly about Curtis Jones, he failed to mention the midfielder, thus suggesting he won’t be involved at the weekend.
There are otherwise no new injury concerns within the squad.
3. Starting XI prediction
This is a fairly easy game for which to predict Liverpool’s starting lineup, with the team fielded in midweek a massive hint at the makeup of Saturday’s XI.
Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Mo Salah and Luis Diaz were all left at home for the PSV trip, so should all start on the south coast.
Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo and Andy Robertson were withdrawn before 65 minutes had been played, indicating they are also in line to start.
Predicted LFC XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Diaz, Gakpo
4. Bournemouth’s brilliant form
Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League matches, an all-time club record in the top flight, and are just eight points short of last season’s total points tally.
Alongside Liverpool, they are the league’s form side having scored 16 goals in their last four matches across all competitions.
Now in his second campaign with the Cherries, manager Andoni Iraola is competing for European football and doing a fantastic job.
The coach said that facing Liverpool will be “very difficult, the biggest challenge” and added that his team “are playing well also” but he doesn’t know if they “will have enough for them.”
5. Injuries aren’t holding Bournemouth back
The Cherries currently have eight players out but it hasn’t affected them too much, as the forward trio of Justin Kluivert, Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo have more than stepped up.
They have scored 14 goals between them in their last four matches – Patrick Kluivert’s son, Justin, particularly impressing of late.
Among those missing through injury are Alex Scott (knee), James Hill (thigh), Marcos Senesi (thigh), Evanilson (foot), Enes Unal (knee) and Adam Smith, while new left-back Julio Soler is away on international duty with Argentina U20s.
Colombian winger Luis Sinisterra “has started doing things with” the team, Iraola explained, but “it’s not sure that he will be involved” against Liverpool.
6. Not on UK TV
Due to the Saturday 3pm blackout, neither Sky Sports nor TNT Sports are showing the match, meaning you can’t legally watch the game in the UK unless you’re at the ground.
This only applies to those residing in the UK, though, so everywhere else around the world you are safe and can tune in as normal.
This Is Anfield will be on hand with our usual live blog to keep you informed throughout the match, plus we will have a full rundown of TV and online stream information prior to kickoff.
This is Liverpool’s third consecutive Saturday 3pm kick-off in the league, an unusual occurrence for the Reds these days!
7. Federico Chiesa is “ready for more minutes”
After Federico Chiesa played his first full match for Liverpool on Wednesday, he will hope to have worked his way into Slot’s league plans.
On the Italian’s prospects of playing, Slot said: “He is ready for more minutes in the Premier League, because if he can play 90 at Champions League level then you are able to play a number of minutes in the Premier League.
“His main problem, if you want to call it a problem, is that he is in competition with Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota.
“I think you’ll agree with me that they are doing quite well also.”
8. Did you know?
Salah’s next league goal will see him join Frank Lampard in joint-sixth on the Premier League‘s highest goalscorers list, with 177 goals.
Since losing at Bournemouth in December 2016, Liverpool have led by two or more goals in a Premier League game on 149 occasions and they have not lost, winning 143 and drawing six.
No Bournemouth player has ever scored more than once in any game against Liverpool.
9. Darren England returns to referee
Darren England referees his first Liverpool match since incorrectly disallowing Luis Diaz‘s goal as the video assistant referee for Liverpool 1-2 Tottenham in September 2023.
The official was also the VAR Liverpool’s recent 5-0 win over West Ham, his first Reds game since the incident.
At Dean Court, his assistants will be Akil Howson and Steve Meredith, with Steve Martin acting as the fourth official. John Brooks is on VAR and assisting him is Dan Cook.
10. Follow the match with TIA
Bournemouth vs. Liverpool kicks off at 3pm (GMT) and our live matchday blog will be running from 2.15pm, with Harry McMullen tasked with keeping you entertained and up-to-date.
Come on you Reds!
