Premier League: Liverpool face an unexpected threat from Bournemouth
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola during the Premier League match at the City Ground, Nottingham. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.
WHEN first place plays 12th in the Premier League, there is little expectation of an upset. But the current positions in the table does not offer an adequate insight into the form and circumstances leading into this match.
12th-place Bournemouth host table-topping Liverpool at the Vitality Stadium tomorrow evening, with most casual observers presuming that it will be a walk in the park for the Merseysiders.
And in normal circumstance that would be the obvious analysis. If table position didn’t indicate such a result than history would certainly point to a comfortable Liverpool victory.
These sides have met 21 times in their history with Bournemouth only triumphant on two occasions. But those two times have been in the Premier League since the Cherries first made the top-flight in 2015. In all, the two sides have met 13 times in the Premier League with Liverpool winning 10, one draw, and Bournemouth bagging their two wins in 2016 and last season respectively. In those 13 matches, Liverpool’s goals total amounted to 39 scores, while Bournemouth scored 10. So where can this upset come from?
Well, the main indicator that something unexpected might happen here is Bournemouth’s recent form going into this game.
The Cherries have only lost one of their last nine matches in all competitions and that was at the hands of Spurs in the last game of 2023 away in London.
Of late, Bournemouth under manager Andoni Iraola have looked a far more impressive prospect, especially defensively, and it now looks a very good decision to bring in Iraola in the wake of the then controversial Gary O’Neil dismissal at the end of last season.
Iraola ed the English side from Rayo Vallecano and introduced a high intensity pressing game to the south coast team. And as the saying goes… attack is the best defence, and that has presented the situation that sees Bournemouth achieve one of the most high-turnover statistics in the league. Winning the ball off their opponents within 40m of the opposition goal will lead to scoring opportunities. It’s a style that brought results for Iraola at Vallecano which saw them promoted to La Liga and secure notable wins against Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Since his arrival on the English south coast, his presence has lifted the performance of many in the team, most notably and ironically, former Liverpool player Dominic Solanke.
Under Iraola, the young English international has been reborn and is starting to look like the player that promised so much when he burst on the scene at Anfield but has somehow struggled to fulfil.
With the up-field pressing by his teammates Solanke now seems to see the ball a lot earlier than before. In the key position he never had at Liverpool or at Chelsea previously, he now receives the ball in better positions and has a far better shot frequency on target. No doubt a lot of credit must go to the Englishman too as he matures into a potent striker.
Making this game a tighter prospect than normally one would suspect is Liverpool’s long list of first team absentees. Apart from having Mo Salah and Wataru Endo away on African and Asian Cup duties respectively, The Reds also have to contend with some serious injury woes. Trent Alexander-Arnold s Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson as Liverpool’s left and right back positions are decimated. Joel Matip at full back adds to the defensive injuries’ woes. There is no sign that Thiago Alcantara making it back from is long term injury, while Curtis Jones looks unlikely to be available on Sunday due to a knock picked up against Fulham in the Carabao Cup. Word has it that it won’t be till the end of the February before we see the return of stars Stefan Bajcetic and Ben Doak.
There is some hope though that talismanic rookie Dominik Szoboszlai will make it back for Sunday but that depends on a late fitness test, which could be crucial to Liverpool hopes. The side does look a far better side when he is in the middle of the field.
The injuries do provide another chance for young Conor Bradley to prove himself at left back in the absence of Alexander-Arnold and he did his brand no end of good with his accomplished efforts against Fulham. Jones’ injury should allow Harvey Elliott another start on the wing for Jurgen Klopp’s weakened selection.
Bournemouth are shy a few players too, with Milos Kerkez, Tyler Adams and Ryan Fredericks sidelined, while Marcos Senesi is suspended following his fifth booking of the season on New Year's Eve. Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo are on international duty at the Africa Cup.
Liverpool can and should still seal this win. But there is a cautionary tale from just last season. They beat Bournemouth 9-0 in a record-equaling victory back in August 2022 at Anfield but then went on to lose to them in March of 2023 at the Vitality Stadium. To be fair, this Liverpool side is better than the team that imploded last season. But then again, this Bournemouth side is a lot better too under Iraola.
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