This Wednesday Liverpool make the trip down south to take on fellow Premier League side Bournemouth in the EFL Cup.
It will be the second time the sides have faced each other so far in the embryonic season with Liverpool winning the previous fixture 3-1 at Anfield despite going down to 10 men.
In this article we cover everything you need to know about Wednesday’s game from the recent form to the head-to-head record and even the latest betting odds.
Team News
With Liverpool fighting on several fronts this season and likely feeling the effects of a midweek game against Toulouse in the Europa League followed by a home clash against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, it’s highly probable that Jurgen Klopp will name a heavily rotated team for this clash.
On the injury front the Reds are still without the injured Andy Robertson who will be out for three to four months following surgery on his shoulder. Thiago Alcantara, Ben Doak and Stefan Bajcetic are also out of this game.
Despite having a lighter schedule than their Merseyside counterparts, Bournemouth will also have several absentees for Wednesday’s game.
Tyler Adams is still recovering from a long-term thigh injury whilst Ryan Fredericks, Emiliano Marcondes, Norberto Murara Neto and Lewis Cook will also miss out through injury and suspension respectively.
Match Facts
Despite their recent rise to prominence Bournemouth are a club that have spent the majority of their existence in England’s lower leagues. As a result the Cherries have only faced Liverpool 20 times in their 124-year history.
Unsurprisingly Liverpool have been the dominant side in most of those clashes, winning 15, drawing 3 and losing just 2.
The last time Liverpool travelled down to the south coast though they wound up on the losing side with former Huddersfield Town man Philip Billing scoring the decisive goal and Egyptian forward Mo Salah missing from the spot.
(The last clash between the two on the south coast was full of drama.)
The Betting Odds
Liverpool are the clear favourites in the soccer odds, their recent form suggests they should have no issues seeing off Bournemouth and the sportsbooks clearly agree:
Bournemouth to win +500
A draw after 90 minutes +340
Liverpool to win -188
First Goalscorer
Kieffer Moore +1100
Antoine Semenyo +1200
Dango Outtara +1400
Mo Salah +375
Luis Diaz +700
Dominik Szoboszlai +1000
Recent Form
Both Liverpool and Bournemouth have had funny old seasons so far, with the performances of both sides belying their league position. At times this season Jurgen Klopp’s side have looked shaky in defence and chaotic going forward but still find themselves right in the reckoning at the top end of the table.
Bournemouth on the other hand have looked full of running and attacking ideas but only registered their first league win of the season over the weekend in a nervy and tight clash with promoted Burnley.
Whilst the form table certainly points towards a Liverpool win in this game, it’s also a possibility that we could see the visitors notch a fifth red card of the season and find themselves right up against it.
(Bournemouth claimed their first league win of the season at the weekend with this nervy victory over Burnley.)
Key Players
Ahead of a game like this it feels somewhat foolish to pick out key players as squad rotation could quickly make these predictions redundant. That said, the players that we think are most likely to play and play well for both sides are…
Philip Billing
Last season the towering Dane played a vital part in the Cherries resurgence under Gary O’Neill and their unlikely survival. This season he has been one of the few consistent performers in a Bournemouth midfield that has at times, been overrun.
If Bournemouth are to stand any chance in this game they will have to hope that Billing can repeat his performance against Burnley and perhaps chip in with another goal, with chip being the operative word…
Darwin Nunez
The Uruguayan was derided for his performances last season but this time round something appears to have changed in his game. Whist there is still an air of chaos to his play this season, it seems to be more of a controlled chaos.
Against Newcastle Nunez was the catalyst for Liverpool’s dramatic 2-1 comeback win in the face of adversity. If recent Europa League selections are anything to go by, Nunez is likely to start this game and, with a point to prove, could be the key man for Klopp’s side.
(Darwin Nunez has, in the main, been more composed for Liverpool this season.)
Who do you think is going to win? How will Nunez fare against Bournemouth? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
