Liverpool will be keen to go into the international break with all three points but Andoni Iraola has several players out injured
Liverpool's Spanish head coach Andoni Iraola applauds the fans following during the UEFA Champions League football match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid
Andoni Iraola has discussed Liverpool's injury situation(Image: (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images))
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Liverpool travel to Bournemouth on Sunday as Reds boss Andoni Iraola prepares to face his former employer. Iraola's men are unbeaten across all competitions so far this term.
The Reds beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in the League Cup on Tuesday after last Saturday's disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Fulham. Liverpool sit eighth in the Premier League table after four games and will be keen to go into the extended international break with a positive result.
And Iraola will still have several players missing for this weekend's trip to the South Coast. Hugo Ekitike is continuing his recovery from an Achilles injury he sustained in April and is still several months away from a return.
Giovanni Leoni , meanwhile, is in the final stages of his recovery from an ACL injury, which he suffered in the Carabao Cup back in September last year on debut. Another defender in Conor Bradley suffered an ACL injury back in January in a goalless draw with Arsenal and is still recovering.
No timeframe has been given for when Liverpool hope to have the Northern Ireland international back in training.
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Elsewhere, Federico Chiesa is yet to feature for Liverpool after picking up an injury in the latter stages of pre-season.
Iraola confirmed in his press conference that the Italy international will still not be available to face Bournemouth, with an exact return date still unclear.
Federico Chiesa of Liverpool during the during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco
Federico Chiesa has been out of action for Liverpool with an injury(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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For Bournemouth, Julian Araujo is out with a thigh injury and won't be back until at least November. The same return date has been given for Eli Kroupi, who has an ankle problem.
Elsewhere, Amine Adli will be out with a calf problem, while Veljko Milosavljevic will miss the fixture with a knee injury. Both are in line to return in October.
Asked about returning to his former club, Iraola said: "I think we have it (freshness). This time we play two days before they so there is an advantage there but I know where we are going, I know their staff and their stadium there.
"Long while, you realise how difficult it is to beat Bournemouth. They know me and I know them.
"It's going to be in the personal side, I am looking forward to it, players I love, staff I appreciate so much. I was buzzing for them so much in their first European game yesterday, but we need to go there and win. Be as ruthless as possible, leave the talks until after the game.
"They haven't changed too much in terms of names, same XI, few changes. Lost Senesi, signed Silva, similar. The main ideas are still there, I talk to Marco Rose and they haven't changed too much. Dangerous team."