Transfers transfers transfers transfer… well, what do you know, it’s Premier League kick-off time. Liverpool FC will start their season hosting AFC Bournemouth on Friday night.
At their press conference for the game on Thursday, manager Andoni Iraola confirmed that Justin Kluivert and Ryan Christie will miss the game against Liverpool. Kluivert, the team’s top scorer in the Premier League a season ago with 12 league goalsl, has missed preseason games because of a calf injury. Christie, a 30-year-old Scotland midfielder, has been training with the team following a groin injury. Iraola said this about Kluivert’s status:
> “Justin hasn’t been training with us, so he’s out. But I think it’s too early for him because he hasn’t done any preseason.”
Bournemouth will be fielding a much-changed team from last season, as they’ve sold almost everyone in their first-choice backline: left-back Milos Kerkez to Liverpoo, centre-backs Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi , as well as goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Center back Bafodé Diakité joined Bournemouth this week from Lille, but Iraola seemed undecided on if the Frenchman would face Liverpool:
> “He is physically definitely ready, he has done a complete preseason with Lille. It’s a matter now of getting all the concepts quickly.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool will be missing Ryan Gravenberch due to suspension from his two yellow cards in the last fixture of the season in May, and Alexis Mac Allister will likely not start while he works his way back to full fitness following an injury at the end of last season that saw him skip out on the international fixtures during the break.
Conor Bradley has been out with a minor injury, and there was no update on his status, so it’s likely he’s sitting this one out. Joe Gomez has returned to first-team training and has taken part in two training sessions following the Achilles injury that saw him return to Liverpool while on the preseason tour, but any action may be a tad too soon.
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