Preview: Bournemouth vs. Liverpool - prediction, team news, lineups

The Cherries let a two-goal lead slip in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to leaders Arsenal, while Jurgen Klopp's merciless men humiliated Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield.

Match preview

Setting the tone for the match after just 9.11 seconds, Bournemouth scored the second-quickest goal in Premier League history at the Emirates through Philip Billing, and the rest of the five-goal thriller would appropriately live up to the billing.

The travelling Cherries faithful were in dreamland when Marcos Senesi doubled their side's lead in the second half, but their two-goal advantage was quickly wiped out by Thomas Partey and Ben White before a last-gasp Reiss Nelson strike sparked arguably the wildest celebrations that the Emirates has ever seen.

Heads were in hands for the disconsolate Bournemouth players, but Gary O'Neil had every right to feel proud about his side's efforts against the league leaders, having also bravely attacked Manchester City the weekend before during a 4-1 defeat.

However, bravery alone does not put points on the board for Bournemouth, who are rooted to the foot of the Premier League table - behind Southampton on goal difference - but they only have a one-point gap to make up to Leeds United in 17th place and are by no means down and out.

Ending a four-game Premier League winless run at the Vitality Stadium would be the first step towards clambering away from danger for the Cherries, who have now suffered three defeats when leading by two goals this season - squandering 17 points from winning positions in total.

Only Leicester City (19) have let more points slip away from them while in the ascendancy than Bournemouth, whose Anfield nightmares would have certainly been triggered by witnessing their upcoming opponents embarrass Man United in astonishing fashion.

From Mohamed Salah becoming their all-time Premier League goalscorer, Roberto Firmino scoring an emotional seventh and Cody Gakpo showing his former admirers exactly what they are missing, Sunday's demolition of Manchester United was very nearly the perfect day for Jurgen Klopp.

Only at one point was the German seething with rage, as a fan ran onto the pitch to join the celebrations and risked injury to Klopp's players in the process - a 16-year-old boy has since been arrested - but the Reds boss was otherwise able to rejoice in his side's best performance in a "long, long time".

Braces for Salah, Gakpo and Darwin Nunez came before Firmino - who is now confirmed to be leaving the club in the summer - made it seventh heaven for the Reds, who are now threatening Tottenham Hotspur's place in the Champions League spots as they lie fifth, three points behind the Lilywhites with a game in hand.

There will soon be more pressing matters at hand for Klopp's men as they attempt to overturn their 5-2 Champions League last-16 deficit against Real Madrid, but a run of four wins and a draw from their last five Premier League games - with five clean sheets in tow - is just what the doctor ordered amid an otherwise underwhelming campaign.

Klopp's men have only won one of their last five away games in the top division, but no Bournemouth fans will need reminding of the 9-0 drubbing inflicted upon them at Anfield back in August - the Man United faithful can empathise there - and that thrashing marked a seventh Premier League win in a row for the Reds against their South Coast counterparts.

Bournemouth Premier League form:

D

L

D

W

L

L

Liverpool Premier League form:

L

W

W

D

W

W

Liverpool form (all competitions):

W

W

L

D

W

W

Team News

Bournemouth gave Arsenal a good run for their money despite losing two further players to injury ahead of the match, as Jefferson Lerma and Hamed Traore missed out with muscular tightness from the defeat to City a week prior.

However, neither man is nursing anything serious and could return here, while Ilya Zabarnyi, Marcus Tavernier and Lloyd Kelly are also thought to be in with slim chances of featuring, but Matias Vina, David Brooks and Junior Stanislas should all miss out.

Even if Lerma is passed fit, Joe Rothwell will not cede his place easily after providing the corner for Senesi to head home against Arsenal, but Antoine Semenyo can expect to drop out if Traore is given the green light.

As for Liverpool, there has been little movement in the Anfield treatment room, with Thiago Alcantara, Luis Diaz and Calvin Ramsay all still missing, while Arthur is yet to be considered for first-team selection since undergoing thigh surgery.

It remains to be seen if Joe Gomez and Naby Keita can shake off their muscular problems too, but Klopp should avoid taking any unnecessary risks before next week's trip to the Bernabeu - neither man would be expected to start the second leg anyway.

Wednesday's game may be playing on the mind of Klopp, but the Liverpool boss will surely see no reason to alter the XI that destroyed Man United, meaning another start for Harvey Elliott ahead of fellow protege Stefan Bajcetic.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:

Neto; Smith, Mepham, Senesi, Stephens, Zemura; Ouattara, Billing, Rothwell, Traore; Solanke

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Fabinho, Henderson; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez

We say: Bournemouth 0-3 Liverpool

With the new-look front three beginning to gel and a first-choice backline proving consistently resilient in the Premier League, Liverpool should face little resistance en route to a routine three points.

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