Liverpool v Bournemouth
Monday 17th August – Kickoff: 2000hrs
Football – England – Premier League
It may not have been pretty, but Brendan Rodgers, his players and the Liverpool supporters will not be bothered by the manner of their 1-0 win on the opening day of the season against Stoke. Not only did it get the new season off to a perfect start, it also served as redemption for the 6-1 loss suffered at the hands of the same opponents, on the same ground on the final day of last season. It is, of course, a much changed Liverpool squad since that game. Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling are among those who have left the club whilst Christian Benteke, Nathaniel Clyne and James Milner are just three of the new additions who are tasked with getting the club back competing at the top of the table, with a top four spot the primary target.
Last Saturday’s match at home to Aston Villa was Bournemouth’s first ever taste of the Premier League but it was not to be the fairytale, losing 1-0 to Tim Sherwood’s men. It should not detract from what has been an incredible achievement for Eddie Howe and his players who have won promotion twice in the last three years. They went up as champions, last season, narrowly pipping Watford to the title and look capable of staying in the top-flight. A trip to Anfield may not be as daunting a prospect as it once was but it also wouldn’t be your first choice having lost the first game of the season. Any result would be a bonus but Howe will be looking for his players to put on a performance for their first appearance live in this division.
It was a war of attrition at times against Stoke last week, and whilst Rodgers will be hoping his players gel together and play some more fluent football in the coming weeks, he will be pleased that his team stood up to the physical challenge posed not Mark Hughes’ men. It is likely to be a different story on Monday, not only because they are at home, but also as Bournemouth like to play an expansive brand of football. It should lead to a more enjoyable game for the neutral.
As you would expect for a newly promoted team, Bournemouth have been busy in the transfer window. It will naturally take time for the new players to get used to how their new manager wants them to play, but such is the nature of this league, they cannot afford to take too long otherwise they may well be cast adrift. The other two promoted clubs have got points on the board and looked impressive in their opening two games, it’s up to Bournemouth to show they are up to the task, too.
Liverpool v Bournemouth Betting Tips
I think this match is set-up to be an exciting one with both managers holding strong beliefs about how the game should be played. Liverpool may be without Daniel Sturridge for a while yet, but Benteke’s arrival means they have a player able to bring others into the game and provide a threat to the opponents central defenders. That was missing a lot of the time last season. Philippe Coutinho was the difference against Stoke and his link-up with the big Belgian could create a lot of problems for the visitors on Monday. Despite not scoring against Villa last week, Bournemouth created a lot of opportunities but could not quite finish them off. The biggest difference between the Premier League and Championship is less time to react in both boxes. That was certainly the case on a few occasions for Bournemouth’s attackers a week ago.
As this season progresses, I think Liverpool will carry much more threat than was the case last season, and that can begin on Monday. I would favour them to take the three points tomorrow but Bournemouth can cause them problems and get on the scoresheet themselves. Both teams to score does make some appeal but the overs is the selection in what could be a taste of what’s to come for both these teams throughout the season.
Over 2.5 goals 4/5 @ Betfair
