It has been a long weekend in the Barclays Premier League and it finishes at Anfield on Monday night when Liverpool host newly promoted Bournemouth in their first home game of the season.
Liverpool started the season positively last week with a solid 1-0 win at Stoke while Bournemouth suffered disappointment at home to Aston Villa on a day when everyone was charged up to make a massive impression.
Liverpool didn’t look as cohesive going forward as they might have done at Stoke last week but in the end a wonder strike from Philippe Coutinho earned them the win. Roberto Firmino started that match on the bench but he could play a more prominent part in this match. Christian Benteke is expected to make his competitive home debut here. Joe Allen and Daniel Sturridge sit it out with injury.
Bournemouth will have been disappointed not to take advantage of the novelty and feel good factor last week but they weren’t disgraced in the game by any means. Tyrone Mings could make his debut for the Cherries in this match but Chelsea loanee Christian Atsu and Ireland international Harry Arter are expected to miss out through injury which isn’t ideal.
I think this is a dangerous match for Liverpool. They are massively expected to win as shown by the fact they are no bigger than 1/2 to do so but they need to be careful if you ask me. Bournemouth are a side set up perfectly to counter attack so if Liverpool push too many men forward they may well get caught out.
The flip side to that of course is that Liverpool are likely to expose Bournemouth’s defence with their extra quality in the final third of the pitch so I think there is a good chance both sides find the net here. Bournemouth know what Premier League life is like now and will have adjusted accordingly and also settled down now the initial big game factor about their first ever Premier League match has disappeared.
With the likes of Christian Benteke, Callum Wilson, Yann Kermorgant, Philippe Countinho among others all on the pitch both sides have goal threats in them and I think the even money on both teams finding the net could be the way to go on Monday night.
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