Arne Slot has named his starting XI for Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth at Anfield.
IMAGE CREDITS: IMAGO
Liverpool kick off their 2025-26 Premier League season at home against Bournemouth tonight at Anfield.
The Reds aim to bounce back from last weekend’s Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace and start their title defence with a win.
Bournemouth, despite a rebuilt defence, caused a few upsets last season, making them a tricky opponent.
The fixture has historically been high-scoring, with 13 goals in the last four league meetings.
Speaking ahead of the game, Arne Slot said: “They made it really difficult for us last season. We beat them 3-0, where you feel like ‘What is he talking about, difficult?’
“But if you look at the game, they had the first big chance of the game, they scored a goal which was fractionally offside.
“Then we three times, I wouldn’t say counter-attacked them but we were very fast in moving the ball from back to forward.
“And all of a sudden at half-time we were 3-0 up, and then I thought – which I always thought when I was a manager in Holland – ‘This is going to be four, five or six-nil’.
“But the mentality Bournemouth showed in the second half, they just kept on going. That’s the mentality they had throughout the whole season afterwards as well.
“They also lost some players, they also brought in good new ones – as they’ve shown in the last few years, that they can always bring in good new players. And away, it was even more difficult for us.
“So, very good team, good manager and a challenge for us on Friday. But looking forward to it because an evening game at Anfield is something that everyone is looking forward to it.”
Liverpool starting XI: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Salah, Mac Allister, Gakpo, Ekitike, Frimpong.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha.
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