Anfield Awaits: Liverpool Begin Title Defence Against Bournemouth
- Think Football Ideas
- Aug 14
- 3 min read
Liverpool XI vs Bournemouth – Premier League Match Preview
Anfield is set for a raucous Friday night under the lights as Liverpool kick off their Premier League title defence against Bournemouth.
Arne Slot’s first league outing of the 2025-26 campaign comes with the expectation of a statement performance, and perhaps a debut goal or two from his high-profile summer recruits.
Champions Out to Bounce Back
Liverpool’s Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace was hardly the launchpad Slot had in mind, but it offered valuable lessons ahead of the real business.
Now, the focus shifts to three points against a Bournemouth side determined to write their name into the history books as the first Cherries team to ever win at Anfield.
Only three clubs have beaten the reigning champions on opening weekend in the Premier League era, and Bournemouth would love to be the fourth.
New Faces Ready for Their Anfield Bow
The summer arrivals wasted no time in catching the eye. Hugo Ekitike is expected to spearhead the attack, with Mohamed Salah lurking on the right. The Egyptian is chasing a remarkable 10th consecutive opening-day goal, and Cody Gakpo, cutting in from the left, will be hoping to do the same.
Behind them, Florian Wirtz will take up the creative reins, tasked with unlocking Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth backline that will know the German’s threat all too well from pre-season footage.
Out wide, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez look nailed-on as Slot’s preferred full-back pairing, the latter facing his former club in what could be an emotional but focused display. But we shouldn't rule out Andy Robertson, who is also in line to start.
Captain Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate should once again marshal the centre, with Alisson providing his usual calm authority between the posts.
Midfield Selection Dilemma
The most intriguing decision lies in midfield. Alexis Mac Allister is pushing for a start after stepping off the bench at Wembley, but Slot might still ease him in after a fragmented pre-season.
Curtis Jones, who put in a near-perfect passing performance in the Community Shield, will hope he’s done enough to retain his place. Dominik Szoboszlai is certain to start, while Ryan Gravenberch’s suspension removes one more option from the equation. Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott remain possible curveballs if Slot decides to freshen things up further.
Bournemouth’s Ambition
The visitors arrive with confidence after a promising summer, but they’ll need to be near-perfect to threaten Liverpool on home turf. Bournemouth’s best hope may lie in quick counter-attacks, especially if they can exploit any gaps left by Liverpool’s adventurous full-backs.
After a ninth-place finish last term, several defensive departures present a tough test. Andoni Iraola has reinforced his backline with Adrien Truffert and Bafodé Diakité, while Djordje Petrovic replaces Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal.
Pre-season offered mixed signals, with three wins and two losses. Anfield has proven a challenging venue historically, with Bournemouth last avoiding defeat here in 2017.
Fitness concerns linger, as Justin Kluivert, Luis Sinisterra, and Ryan Christie face doubts, and Enes Ünal continues his recovery from an ACL injury. Containing Mohamed Salah, who has netted 11 Premier League goals against Bournemouth, will be crucial to any upset plan.
Predicted Starting Line Up:
Liverpool (4-3-3):
Alisson Becker, Jeremie Frimpong, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Milos Kerkez, Dominik Szoboszlai, CDM, Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, Cody Gakpo
Bournemouth: (4-2-3-1):
Djordje Petrovic, Julián Araujo, Bafodé Diakité, Marcos Senesi, Adrien Truffert, Tyler Adams, David Brooks, Antoine Semenyo, Marcus Tavernier, Dango Ouattara, Eli Junior Kroupi
Kick-off is set for 8pm BST on Friday, August 15. The Kop will be ready, the champions will be hungry, and the Premier League curtain-raiser for Liverpool promises fireworks.
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