PREVIEW: Liverpool vs AFC Bournemouth – 14/04/2018

Liverpool vs AFC Bournemouth

Date: 14/04/2018

K/O: 17.30pm

Venue: Anfield

Referee: Chris Kavanagh

Liverpool host Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday, with Jurgen Klopp’s side fresh off the back of progressing to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in over 10 years.

Klopp’s side will be without defenders Nathaniel Clyne and Ragnar Klavan, whilst Joel Matip, Emre Can, Adam Lallana and Joe Gomez all remain sidelined.

Mohammed Salah, after returning to the starting XI in Liverpool’s mid-week clash against Manchester City, is expected to start, as the Egyptian chases a remarkable Golden Boot, currently sitting on 29 goals, four ahead of nearest challenger Harry Kane.

For Eddie Howe and Bournemouth, they will be without defender Adam Smith (knee), whilst Junior Stanislas has been confirmed as being out for the season after knee surgery and Tyrone Mings remains out with a back issue.

There are never any ‘dead rubber’ games in the Premier League, though with Bournemouth sitting on 38 points and Liverpool having all but confirmed their qualification for the 2018/19 Champions League with the title out of reach, it would be fair to say this is not a pivotal clash for both teams.

Eddie Howe has once again worked wonders on the south coast, and after a relatively disastrous start to the 2017/18 campaign, Bournemouth will be playing Premier League football in 2018/19 barring one of the most spectacular combinations of misfortune and ill fate in their remaining five Premier League games.

Saturday’s clash against Liverpool provides Howe with the opportunity to prove yet again that Bournemouth can mix it with the top Premier League teams, with victories over Arsenal (2-1) and Chelsea (3-0) earlier in the campaign providing evidence of both his teams playing ability as well as his tactical and managerial qualities.

In the reverse fixture, Bournemouth were defeated 4-0 by a clinical Liverpool side at Dean Court and are certainly aware of the attacking prowess that Klopp’s side hold. Howe’s side will have to be on the top of their game to get anything from this fixture, with Liverpool likely to be in extremely high spirits following their progression to the Champions League semi-finals.

Predicted Starting XI’s

Liverpool: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane.

Bournemouth: Begovic; Francis, Cook, Ake, Daniels; Fraser, Cook, Gosling, Ibe; King, Defoe.

Prediction: Liverpool 3 Bournemouth 2

Written by Tom Newman.