Liverpool take on Bournemouth today (3pm) looking to claim their first win of the new Premier League season. The Reds drew with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge a week ago and now take on a team they thrashed 9-0 at Anfield last season knowing that anything less than three points would be a disappointment. Express Sport looks at how Jurgen Klopp may line up, with a potential debutant off the bench in Wataru Endo…
Goalkeeper: Alisson
Alisson conceded 43 times in his 37 Premier League appearances last season. That was a figure way up on his previous four seasons at the club. He conceded 24 goals in 36 games in the 2021-22 season, 32 in 33 games in 2020-21, 23 in 29 games in 2019-20 and a mere 22 in 38 in 2018-19.
He failed to keep a clean sheet once more at Chelsea but has kept shut-outs in two of his last three Anfield outings. The Brazilian will hope for another here against a lively Bournemouth forward line led by Dominic Solanke.
Defence: Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson
Liverpool are expected to again start off in a 4-3-3 formation before blossoming into a fluid 3-2-2-3 in possession. Trent Alexander-Arnold will start at right-back but will move into midfield on the ball as one of the team’s primary creators.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate will be Klopp’s centre-back partnership for the second straight match. Andy Robertson is continuing to adjust to an unfamiliar role that sees him become a left-sided centre-half in a back three and will get another chance to acclimatise against the Cherries.
Midfield: Elliott, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai
Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajectic remain unavailable for selection as they work their way back to full fitness. Elsewhere Curtis Jones will not feature due to a minor ankle injury.
New signing Endo, who joined from Stuttgart yesterday, will only start on the bench if he is granted his work permit in time to play. Klopp hailed the hard-working Japan captain as a player who can help counteract the offensive-minded nature of his team. He is almost certain to come on as a substitute if in the squad.
Alexis Mac Allister may therefore start as the No 6 like at Chelsea. Dominik Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott, who impressed in a late cameo in London a week ago, may then line up as the two more advanced midfielders ahead of the Argentine.
Attack: Salah, Gakpo, Diaz
Diogo Jota struggled at Chelsea and could drop back out of the starting line-up. Cody Gakpo, deployed in midfield on the opening weekend, could then take up a centre-forward role.
Mohamed Salah failed to score in the first match of a new Premier League season for the first time in his Liverpool career. The Egyptian winger will start on the right wing.
Luis Diaz scored the only goal at the Bridge and should start on the left, with Jota and Darwin Nunez then on the substitutes’ bench.
Liverpool’s predicted XI vs Bournemouth in full: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Elliott; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1803857/Liverpool-team-news-predicted-XI-Bournemouth-Wataru-Endo
