Liverpool FC can boast of the best start to a season (39 points from a possible 45 after matches) that they have ever had at a top tier of English football. It’s the best of their 126 year club history. Up next is a trip to Dean Court to take on seventh place AFC Bournemouth.
Let’s break down the injury and fitness situations for both sides.
We’ll start with Bournemouth, who will now be without midfielder Lewis Cook for up nine months, after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during Tuesday night’s win over Huddersfield Town. Essentially, he’s out for the season now.
Fellow midfielder Dan Gosling is also dealing with a knee injury, although one that is much less severe. After missing the Cherries last two games he is a doubt for this one.
For Liverpool, it was confirmed on Thursday that defender Joe Gomez has been ruled out for up to six weeks due to a lower leg fracture that he suffered in the midweek victory at Burnley.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp hit out extensively at the Clarets for their consistent sliding tackles in the match, but Burnely boss Sean Dyche stands by the physicality of his team on Wednesday night. Absent from that match was winger Sadio Mane, due to a cut on his foot. He faces a late fitness test for this one.
Liverpool FC vs Bournemouth FYIs
Jurgen Klopp Press Conference Video:
LFC Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Kick-off: 1230 pm (BST), Saturday December 8th, Dean Court
Google Result Probability: Liverpool Win 60%, Draw 22%, Bournemouth Win 18%
Odds via Odds checker: Liverpool FC 8/13, Draw 39/11, Bournemouth 19/4
Prediction: Liverpool FC 2, Bournemouth 0
Feel free to post your own Liverpool and/or Bournemouth starting XI predictions, as well as your best guess as to what the final score will be. Enjoy the match everybody!
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Lineups.com and Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.