It’s only the fourth week of Premier League action, but the stakes already feel exceedingly high for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool FC as they get ready to host AFC Bournemouth this Saturday afternoon.
If you had told someone before the season started that it would be Liverpool, not Bournemouth, still searching for their first win heading into this match, they would have had a hard time believing you.
And yet here we are; Liverpool have started their Premier League season with two draws and a loss. Now they’ll be desperate to take down newly-promoted Bournemouth and give themselves a much-needed boost of confidence.
After drawing to Fulham and Crystal Palace, the Reds’ most recent match was a 2-1 defeat to their old rivals at Manchester United. It was a tough loss to take for Liverpool fans, with issues in the midfield and defense once again rearing their ugly heads. The loss sent Liverpool all the way down to 16th in the table, making this their worst start to a season under Jurgen Klopp.
FT: United 2 #LFC 1: Salah's late goal in vain as Liverpool suffer their first PL defeat since Dec 2021. Didn't deserve anything. Only got themselves to blame. Worst start to a season for 10 years. Big problems in all departments. 2pts out of a possible nine.
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) August 22, 2022
One spot above them in the table is Bournemouth. Picked by many to finish in the relegation zone, the Cherries came out with an impressive victory over Aston Villa in the opening weekend. Since then, they’ve taken a step back with a 4-0 loss to Manchester City and a 3-0 loss to Arsenal. But to be fair to Bournemouth, those two teams currently occupy the top two spots in the table.
In terms of history, Liverpool have historically dominated this matchup, with 13 wins, three draws, and one loss, including a current streak of six straight wins. The last time these two sides met was in March of 2020, when Liverpool’s 2-1 victory ended up being their last Premier League match before the season was interrupted by COVID-19.
An incredible @JamesMilner clearance against Bournemouth in 2020 😱 pic.twitter.com/lFTJ2qac3t
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 24, 2022
The match will kick off on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. local time (10:00 a.m. EST).