Liverpool didn’t lose to Chelsea on the pitch last Sunday, but they did lose big, twice actually, off-the-pitch to the Blues this past week. Two midfielders that the Merseyside club recruited heavily: Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, both picked Stamford Bridge over Anfield.
In the case of the former, Liverpool had even reached an agreement on a transfer fee for the Ecuadorian.
Liverpool vs AFC Bournemouth FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Aug 19, 3pm, Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Google Result Probability: Liverpool 79% AFC Bournemouth 8% Draw 13%
PL Form, Position: Liverpool D, 1pt, 12th AFC Bournemouth D, 1pt, 10th
With the latter, well, simply put, the Reds had been pursuing him all summer long. Alas, it’s time to move on to the 2023-24 season home opener, where LFC will welcome in AFC Bournemouth.
Team News
No real “Team News” to speak of this week, as there are no major changes to the squad fitness situation.
Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara, both out since the mid-to-late last season with injuries, remain out of commission for this one. Other than that, look for Jurgen Klopp and his bosses to try and dip into the transfer market some more, ahead of the window closing in a fortnight.
They still need to add midfield quality and depth. That was clearly obvious during the season opening score draw with the Blues. That all said, let’s get to predicting the first team.
Starting XI Prediction
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.