The Premier League returns on Friday night as champions Liverpool begin their title defence at home to Bournemouth.
Arne Slot’s side will want a strong start after their Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace on penalties last weekend, despite debut goals from Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong.
Liverpool’s defence has looked shaky in recent weeks, conceding 10 goals in their last five games, but they remain unbeaten at Anfield in the league since last September.
Bournemouth arrive with an impressive record on opening day, unbeaten in their last seven season openers.
However, they lost key defensive players from last season’s best-ever Premier League campaign, including Milos Kerkez, who is now at Liverpool. Pre-season form has been poor, with no wins in four games.
History heavily favours Liverpool in this fixture — the Reds have never lost to Bournemouth at Anfield and have won the last six meetings there by a combined 23-2 score. The Cherries will need something special to break that trend.
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When is Liverpool vs. Bournemouth: Premier League 2025/26?
Liverpool will kick off their 2025/26 Premier League journey against Bournemouth at Anfield on August 15, at 8:00 p.m. (local time).
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories:
Region Kick-off Date Kick-off Time
USA Friday, August 15 3:00 p.m. (ET)
UK Friday, August 15 8:00 p.m. (BST)
India Saturday, August 16 12:30 a.m. (IST)
Nigeria Friday, August 15 8:00 p.m. (WAT)
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Liverpool vs. Bournemouth: Premier League live stream, TV channel
Here are all the details about where you can watch Liverpool vs. Bournemouth in major regions across the world:
Region TV Channels Streaming Platforms
USA USA Network fuboTV, nbcsports.com, NBC Sports App
UK (England) Sky Sports Premier League Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Go
India Star Sports Select HD1, Star Sports Select 1 Disney+ Hotstar
Nigeria SuperSport Premier League Nigeria, SuperSport MaXimo 1 DStv Now
If you can’t watch the Liverpool vs. Bournemouth Premier League opener live in your area or if you’re travelling, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs provide a secure and private internet connection, letting you bypass geographic restrictions so you can access your favourite streaming services from any device, anywhere in the world.
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Liverpool vs. Bournemouth: Predicted lineup and team news
The champions will be without Ryan Gravenberch, who missed the Community Shield for personal reasons and is now suspended after a red card on the final day of last season.
Joe Gomez is almost certain to miss out with an Achilles injury, while Conor Bradley faces a late fitness test on a muscle problem.
Alexis Mac Allister is expected to return to midfield after Curtis Jones impressed with a perfect passing record at Wembley.
Liverpool predicted XI (Formation: 4-2-3-1): Alisson — Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez — Mac Allister, Szoboszlai — Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo — Ekitike.
Enes Unal and Lewis Cook are still recovering from knee injuries, while Ryan Christie (groin) and Luis Sinisterra (thigh) are battling to be fit.
Sinisterra could return, but Cook remains a doubt. Justin Kluivert is not expected to feature due to setbacks in his recovery.
Antoine Semenyo is ready to go after signing a new deal, and new goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is in line for his Premier League debut for the Cherries.
Bournemouth predicted XI (Formation: 4-2-3-1): Petrovic — Araujo, Senesi, Hill, Truffert — Adams, Scott — Semenyo, Tavernier, Ouattara — Evanilson.
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Liverpool vs. Bournemouth: Prediction
Both Liverpool and Bournemouth have defensive concerns, which could make for an open game. Bournemouth’s backline has changed a lot over the summer, while Liverpool’s attack looks full of firepower despite questions at the back.
Arne Slot’s side should have too much quality in the final third, and with Anfield behind them, the champions are likely to start their title defence with a convincing win.
Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Bournemouth.