Liverpool face Bournemouth this weekend, still searching for their first Premier League victory of the season. All the talk since their loss to Manchester United has centered around the need for a new dynamic attacking midfielder. The signing of a new player fitting this bill has not occurred. Liverpool will head into this match with the same injury hit squad that they have been playing with for the last couple of weeks.
One thing in the Reds’ favor is their record against newly promoted sides. Liverpool have lost just once in their last 33 matches against newly promoted clubs.
That loss came against a Scott Parker side, however, in the form of Fulham. A loss here would be the worst start to an EPL season in ten years for the Reds. The last time they ended game week four in the EPL without a victory was the 2012/13 season. That season they went through five matches before registering their first win.
Let’s look at how Jurgen Klopp’s men might line up against Bournemouth this weekend.
Bournemouth at Liverpool FYIs
Kick-off: Saturday, Aug 27, 3 pm local, Anfield
Liverpool Team News: Go Here
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Google Result Probability: Liverpool victory 89% Draw 3% Bournemouth victory 8%
Starting XI Prediction
To say the Reds squad is thin would be an understatement. Liverpool has slim pickings in available and healthy first team players. A lot of the squad is out of form. And in this hopeless situation, I am picking a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Keeping goals will be Alisson Becker. He isn’t out of form, and has probably just been unlucky with most of the goals that he has conceded this season. The defense will comprise of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez in the middle. It is not ideal, but it is all that’s available. The hope will be that they can rekindle their partnership the more they play with each other. The full backs are woefully out of form. Something is not right with Trent Alexander Arnold, but he will start regardless.
Andy Robertson holds onto his spot.
Another poor performance might see Kostas Tsimikas replacing him. The two defensive midfield options I am going with are Jordan Henderson and Fabinho. They are both not in the greatest of form, but once again, it is slim pickings at Anfield.
The three I am choosing to play behind the striker are Luis Diaz, Fabio Carvalho and Harvey Elliot. Diaz on the left, Elliot on the right. Carvalho plays through the middle like he did so successfully for Fulham last season.
Up top, I am going with Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian has played there before, and we all know he has the goals in him. I sure as hell wouldn’t be picking Roberto Firmino. He seems like he is finished as a player at the elite level.
Match Prediction
As apprehensive as I am about Liverpool and the way they are playing at the moment, I just can’t see them losing here. I am going with the Reds to record their first win of the season.
Liverpool 2-1
Stuart Kavanagh is a journalist currently residing in Broken Hill, Australia. He writes for the Barrier Truth newspaper, along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, He also co-hosts the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast and contributes at edgeofthecrowd.com when time permits.
Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.