Bournemouth vs. Liverpool: Team News, Live Stream, TV Info, Ticket News
Days after their remarkable UEFA Europa League comeback win at home to Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool return to the domestic stage to take on Eddie Howe's mid-table hopefuls, Bournemouth, at Dean Court, with the Cherries desperate to claim another victory as they push for a strong finish to the 2015/16 campaign.
For Reds supporters, the Premier League has become something of a footnote, as Jurgen Klopp steels his side for a two-legged European semi-final against La Liga outfit Villarreal, but the German won't take the trip to the south coast lightly.
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Howe's Bournemouth have grown in form and confidence throughout their maiden Premier League season, with the 38-year-old admirably sticking to his guns and employing attractive, attacking football.
Utilising the January transfer market to bolster an injury-hit side, Howe has provided Bournemouth with the boost required to drive a wedge between them and the likes of Sunderland, Newcastle United and Aston Villa, with £12 million man Benik Afobe the ideal replacement for long-term absentee Callum Wilson.
Though the Reds have two games in hand, heading into Sunday's clash there are just seven points between Klopp's side and the newly promoted Bournemouth—so could Howe spring another upset at Dean Court on Sunday?
Date: Sunday, April 17
Time: 1:30 p.m. BST / 8:30 a.m. ET
Venue: Dean Court, Bournemouth
TV Info: DirecTV (U.S. only)
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S. only)
Form Lines (Last 5 Games)
Bournemouth: W-W-L-L-W
Liverpool: L-D-D-W-W
Team News
Howe was given a considerable lift ahead of Bournemouth's 2-1 win away to Aston Villa last weekend, able to name Wilson on his substitutes' bench for the first time in six months, with the striker recovering from an ACL injury to make a 90-second appearance at Villa Park.
Speaking to reporters including the Cherries' official website on Friday, Howe said "it was great to be able to write Callum’s name on the teamsheet again," but stressed that "I don’t want to say he will start games and put pressure on him."
Wilson is unlikely to start against Liverpool, while Afobe, Adam Smith and Harry Arter all remain on the sidelines—though Junior Stanislas could make his return from a hamstring injury, as Howe discussed:
"Junior has been training well and hard for a long period now.
We're hoping he will be closer for Sunday. Benik [Afobe] also has a hamstring injury, but he is very much taking his first steps with that.
We will be looking to protect Benik for a little bit longer. Adam Smith is also still out—we tried to manage his injury but couldn’t.
Harry saw a specialist this week for his injury. We are waiting to see the outcome from that before we know whether we will have him back with us this season.
"
Last summer's big-money left-back signing Tyrone Mings is also unavailable, having endured a setback in his recovery from a knee injury at the beginning of April—but otherwise, Howe can call upon a strong squad.
Klopp's selection has been hampered by injury to key central midfielder Emre Can, who suffered damage to his ankle ligament in Thursday's win at home to Dortmund.
The German is set to miss up to six weeks of action, with Klopp telling reporters, including the Telegraph's Chris Bascombe on Saturday morning, that this was "not the best news":
"At this moment it is not the best news but Emre wants to be back as soon as possible and we will try everything.
It’s how it is. He is injured. It will take time. If not Emre we have to find other situations.
There is no use moaning. We will try to bring him back as soon as possible but it is the last 4/5 weeks of the season.
There is hope. We can’t say the season is finished for him—it is not—but we have to give the job to different people and change the style.
"
Can's absence is magnified by injury to fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson, with Klopp losing his first-choice midfield pairing at the most crucial period of the season. Fortunately, Brazilian defensive midfielder Lucas Leiva has returned from a thigh injury, and he could make his first start since recovering on Sunday afternoon.
Christian Benteke, Danny Ings, Joe Gomez and Jordan Rossiter will also miss out, but Jon Flanagan can return to Klopp's selection after sitting out on Thursday—as the full-back was left out of Liverpool's Europa League squad.
Predicted Lineups
With Bournemouth producing a comprehensive performance away to Villa last time out, Howe could select a similar starting lineup as he looks to mastermind victory over Klopp.
Artur Boruc is likely to start in goal, while Simon Francis, Tommy Elphick, Steve Cook and Charlie Daniels remain the Cherries' first-choice back four. Cook in particular will be looking to build on his goalscoring display at Villa Park.
Partnering Andrew Surman in midfield will be one of Dan Gosling and Eunan O'Kane, in what could be a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 formation—depending on the fitness of Bournemouth's wide men.
If Howe opts for the latter system, Joshua King is likely to line up as Bournemouth's lone centre-forward, supported by the returning Stanislas, as well as Max Gradel and Matt Ritchie. Though, if Stanislas is deemed unable to start, Lewis Grabban could keep his place in Howe's 4-4-2.
Klopp will have one eye on Wednesday night's Merseyside derby against Everton—his first since arriving at the club in October—but the German is unlikely to make too many unforced changes to the side defeated Dortmund in midweek.
Simon Mignolet is set to continue in goal, while his in-form back four of Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren, Mamadou Sakho and Alberto Moreno are likely to keep their places in defence.
Injuries to Henderson and Can will force Klopp's hand, however, and two of Lucas, Kevin Stewart, Joe Allen and James Milner should line up in the Reds' regular 4-2-3-1 formation.
Klopp's issues in midfield are relieved by a wealth of options in attack, and Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho are all likely to start at Dean Court on Sunday, while one of Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi will lead the line.
Likely Bournemouth XI: Boruc; Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie, Surman, Gosling, Gradel; King, Grabban
Likely Liverpool XI: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Stewart, Allen; Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho; Sturridge
Players to Watch
Joshua King
Former Manchester United striker King has endured a hit-and-miss first season with Bournemouth, but after initially playing deputy to the in-form Wilson, the Norwegian has emerged as a key player at the business end of 2015/16.
In his last five league games, King has scored three goals and laid on one more, and the Cherries have won all three of those games in which he found the back of the net—including away to Villa last weekend.
King's pace and developing understanding of the role of lone centre-forward make him a troublesome opponent, and Liverpool's centre-backs will need to be on their toes to keep him quiet on Sunday afternoon.
Kevin Stewart
With Can and Henderson both set to miss out, Stewart's role at the heart of Liverpool's midfield could be an important one.
If the 22-year-old is deployed alongside the likes of Allen or Milner, his defensive qualities will be essential, with Stewart at his best in a pared-down role shielding the back four, breaking up play and laying simple passes into his team-mates.
Returning from a long-term ankle injury to shine in Liverpool's last league outing at home to Stoke City, Stewart is poised to continue his progress under Klopp with another bright display against Bournemouth.
Key Battle
Adam Lallana vs. Charlie Daniels
Though he has been one of Bournemouth's standout performers in 2015/16, Daniels has not been at his best of late, with a costly error in his side's 4-0 defeat at home to Manchester City at the beginning of the month—leading to a Kevin De Bruyne goal—compounding the left-back's misery.
"Part of the mistake was down to the pressure we put on to recover the ball," City manager Manuel Pellegrini told reporters after the game, as relayed by BBC Sport. "That was very important because we were a team that was pressing three four or five times just on that occasion."
If Klopp spots this weakness within Howe's back line, the presence of his pressing specialist, Lallana, could prove to be vital.
Lallana has spent much of his time under Klopp operating on the right flank, and his high-intensity attacking game could exploit Daniels' lapses in concentration and give Liverpool an opening.
The Bournemouth man will need to get back to his best to keep Lallana at bay.
Odds
Bournemouth: 53-20
Liverpool: 6-5
Draw: 127-50
Odds via Odds Shark and correct at time of writing.
Ticket Information
For ticket information on all Premier League games, visit the official site or go to the ticket page on Bournemouth's official website.
Statistics via Transfermarkt.co.uk.
