Odds:
| Liverpool | Draw | Bournemouth | |
| American | -350 | +475 | +850 |
| Decimal | 1.29 | 5.75 | 9.50 |
| Fractional | 2/7 | 19/4 | 17/2 |
The 2025/2026 English Premier League season is set to officially get underway on Friday, August 15, 2025 in Liverpool as AFC Bournemouth get set to take on the defending champions at Anfield in a match I am dubbing ‘The Milos Kerkez Derby’.
Previous Five Head-to-Head Matches (All Competitions):
Liverpool have outscored Bournemouth 14 – 2 over their last five meetings in all competitions.
Liverpool Team News:
Friday’s match at Anfield will be the first Premier League fixture since the tragic passing of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva. Following the heartbreaking news, Liverpool officially retired Jota’s number 20 shirt. Anfield is expected to be an emotional setting on Friday, as supporters and club staff alike pay tribute to Diogo before kick-off.
The Reds had a busy transfer window, securing high-profile signings Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and former Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez. For Kerkez, this will be a particularly special occasion – his first Premier League match as a Liverpool player will come against his former club.
Liverpool are also still pursuing Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak. However, negotiations between the clubs remain far apart in terms of valuation. Isak himself is reportedly doing everything possible to push through a move away from St James’ Park to Anfield.
Bournemouth Team News:
Bournemouth head into the 2025/26 season after what can only be described as a busy summer, one focused more on departures than arrivals. The Cherries saw Dean Huijsen leave for Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez join Liverpool, goalkeeper Neto (who had returned from a loan spell at Arsenal) move to Botafogo, and Illia Zabarnyi sign for Paris Saint-Germain.
While Bournemouth waved goodbye to several key players, they brought in just two first-team reinforcements. Goalkeeper Djordje Petrović arrived from Chelsea, and attacking left-back Adrien Truffert joined from Rennes as a direct replacement for Kerkez.
Despite the turnover, Bournemouth will hope to build on last season’s solid showing, when they finished ninth in the Premier League which was by all accounts a strong top-half result for the club.
Predicted Starting Lineups:
Liverpool Lineup Notes:
The only change to Liverpool’s starting lineup from their FA Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace that I envision is Alexis Mac Allister possibly getting the nod over Curtis Jones. Mac Allister provides more attacking creativity and options over Curtis Jones and I can see Arne Slot looking to have Mac Allister in to start. That being said, it is also entirely plausible that Curtis Jones gets the nod to provide more defensive stability in Liverpool’s midfield. Liverpool will be missing key player Ryan Gravenberch as he is suspended one match from a red card he picked up in Liverpool’s final match of the season last season.
Bournemouth Lineup Notes:
Justin Kluivert is still dealing with a calf injury picked up in preseason and it is unclear yet whether or not he will be able to make an appearance or start in the first match of the season.
Bournemouth’s defensive line has been depleted over the course of the transfer window and I expect new signing Truffert to get the start at left-back. Bournemouth will look to play a counter-attacking style against Liverpool and look to take advantage of Liverpool’s numbers forward when they retrieve the ball.
Match Preview:
I see this match shaping up to be a very one-sided affair. Liverpool enter with an abundance of attacking firepower against a newly assembled Bournemouth backline that may still be lacking the chemistry needed for cohesive defensive coverages, tight man-marking, and effective use of the offside trap. New signing Adrien Truffert is expected to make his Premier League debut following his move from Rennes. Unfortunately for him, his first taste of English football will likely involve trying to contain Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Jeremie Frimpong which is not exactly the debut assignment most players would hope for.
As previously mentioned, Bournemouth will likely rely heavily on counter-attacks for their scoring opportunities. It’s a tactic that worked wonders for Crystal Palace in the FA Community Shield, where their sharp counter play caused Liverpool plenty of problems and ultimately helped the Eagles lift the trophy.
First match of the season, Liverpool at Anfield, I see the Reds coming away with a comfortable win.
The Pick:
Liverpool to win + Liverpool team total over 6.5 Shots on Target (SoT)
Odds:
- American: -105
- Decimal: 1.95
- Fractional: 19/20
I see Liverpool fully exploiting Bournemouth’s newly constructed backline and putting them through their paces. Given their quality, and the fact they’ve won all five of the previous meetings, I believe the Reds will come out on top once again.
I do see Bournemouth being able to create some chances on the counter-attack though that could make Liverpool fans’ heart rates rise on occasion. That threat should also ensure the Reds don’t grow complacent early, continuing to push forward, create opportunities, and fire shots at the Cherries’ goal.
Liverpool reached 7+ shots on target (or over 6.5 shots on target) in each of their last five matches against Bournemouth totalling 44 shots on target in the five matches with a combined average of 8.8 SoT/match.
Pick: Liverpool to win + Liverpool team total over 6.5 Shots on Target (SoT)
