Liverpool v Bournemouth: Team news, predictions & odds

The game kicks off at 2000 GMT at Anfield.

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Liverpool v Bournemouth: Our prediction 

David John says: Many congrats to Jurgen Klopp and his team for a pretty convincing success in the Merseyside derby as Liverpool had too much nous and a bit of extra quality in the end than a youthful Everton at the weekend.

An interesting test follows hot on the heels after this duo fought out a memorable encounter in early December which saw the Cherries fight back from 3-1 down to win 4-3 thanks to three goals in the final 14 minutes. 

It brought a whole lot of flak in the direction of Klopp and ended a lengthy unbeaten run for the Reds at the same time but the bookmaking fraternity are not expecting any such silliness for the return at Anfield with the hosts chalked up at no bigger than 2/5.

This is not an entirely foregone conclusion though with the visitors unbeaten in four games and seemingly climbing their way to safety nicely.

Their position could have been even stronger as Eddie Howe had his head in his hands once again on the touchline while he watched his side squander a golden opportunity to beat Southampton when Harry Arter skied his penalty kick over the bar on Saturday evening. 

I was more than impressed thought with their overall performance in the second half at St Mary’s and a point to start off a tough run of fixtures which includes Chelsea and Tottenham up next was solid return.

They should take some heart as well from the way they ground out another draw at a hostile Old Trafford and back-to-back clean sheets against Swansea and now the Saints suggests something must be going right at last in the back four.

I expect Liverpool will win but this won’t be a stroll by any means with any physical hangover from the Everton game likely to be felt with such a quick turnaround while Sadio Mane’s name has been added to an injury list which includes Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson.

That pair are now in Miami nursing their wounds but the remaining squad is good enough to pick up the slack at home once again and build on the derby victory as they chase a place in the top four.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Bournemouth

Liverpool v Bournemouth: Opta facts 

Liverpool have won all four of their previous home meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions, scoring 10 goals and conceding twice. 

Bournemouth won the reverse of this fixture 4-3 in December, despite trailing 1-3 going into the final 15 minutes. 

All 11 goals in the three previous Premier League meetings between these sides have been scored by different players. 

Philippe Coutinho has assisted six Premier League goals this season, his second best tally in a Premier League campaign (7 in 2013/14). 

Liverpool have won four consecutive Premier League games at Anfield for the first time under Jurgen Klopp; they last won five in a row in April 2014 (a run of six wins under Brendan Rodgers).     

Liverpool and Bournemouth have each scored seven goals from the penalty spot this season, the joint-most in the Premier League.  

Liverpool have scored and conceded in 21 of their 30 Premier League games this season (70%); more often than any other side. 

The Cherries are unbeaten in each of their last four matches in the Premier League (W2 D2), this after a run of four consecutive defeats. 

Bournemouth have kept consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League; they’ve never recorded three shutouts in a row. 

Liverpool’s last six defeats in the Premier League have all come against sides placed in the bottom half of the table (on the day of the match).     

Liverpool v Bournemouth: Sky Bet odds

Sky Bet have priced up Liverpool as the odds-on favourites at 4/11 to win at home to Bournemouth on Wednesday night. The Reds beat Merseyside rivals Everton 3-1 on Saturday and a repeat of that scoreline is on offer at 9/1 with the online bookmaker. Bournemouth are the big outsiders at 7/1 to make the long trip back south with a three-point haul and the draw is on offer at 4/1. Roberto Firmino leads the way in Sky Bet’s first goalscorer odds at 100/30. His Reds team-mates Divock Origi and Sadio Mane have both been made available at 7/2 and the top Bournemouth contender is Joshua King out at 11/1.    

Click for Sky Bet's Liverpool v Bournemouth odds!

Liverpool v Bournemouth: Team news 

Bournemouth will be without midfielder Andrew Surman for their midweek Premier League trip to Liverpool.

Manager Eddie Howe, who has noted other injury concerns for Wednesday's fixture but declined to go into further detail, confirmed that Surman will be missing because of a knee ligament problem.

Ryan Fraser overcame hamstring trouble to play the full 90 minutes against Southampton on Saturday but Tyrone Mings is yet to complete his five-match suspension.

Liverpool's leading scorer Sadio Mane misses the game with a knee injury which could yet rule him out of the remainder of the season.

Striker Daniel Sturridge is set to rejoin the squad for the first time in two months after illness and injury but is only likely to make the substitutes' bench.

Midfielders Adam Lallana (thigh) and Jordan Henderson (foot) are both absent.

Teams

Bournemouth (from): Boruc, Daniels, S Cook, Francis, A Smith, Wilshere, Fraser, Gosling, Pugh, King, Afobe, Allsop, B Smith, L Cook, Gradel, Ibe, Cargill, Stanislas, Arter, Mousset.

Liverpool (from): Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Matip, Milner, Lucas, Can, Wijnaldum, Firmino, Origi, Coutinho, Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Klavan, Moreno, Grujic, Woodburn, Wilson, Sturridge.

Liverpool v Bournemouth: Manager quotes   

Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

On whether Sadio Mane's injury was season-ending: "Unfortunately that is possible but why should I say it now when I don't know?

"The knee is swollen and we have to wait for the final assessment. It is not 100 per cent clear.

"The only thing I can say for sure is that he will not be available for tomorrow.

"It is not very positive when it is like this. I cannot say at this exact time so we have to wait."

On Liverpool's current injury issues: "As a manager I can't really remember the last time I had all the players available and the decisions to make were really difficult.

"There are a lot of different things but do we miss Sadio? Yes. Do we miss Adam? Yes. Do we miss Hendo? Yes. But they are not for this game because they are not here.

"We don't think what we miss, we only think what we can do to win this football game."

On overcoming injury problems: "My job is to find solutions. This is a good situation: we have 59 points, we are in a nice position - yes a few teams have played less games than we have but they cannot win them all because they have to play each other.

"The whole season is to prepare the finish and this is the finishing part of the season. Eight games to go. We expect results from ourselves.

"A few players, key players, are not available at the moment but as long as we have 11 players to start and a few to bring on everything is fine.

"It is not about thinking 'How can we play perfect football?'. We need to get results, and the first thing I will think about is how we can defend (against) Bournemouth not how can we create 27 chances?

"If we are strong and perfectly organised in defence then Bournemouth cannot get confidence in the game."

Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)

On recent spot-kick woes: "We will have a nominated penalty taker.

"It can be difficult to predict - you don't know who's on the pitch and who feels confident at that stage of the game to pick it up and score.

"Now it's a major talking point but I hope it stops being one soon - and we get back to scoring them."

On the win over Liverpool in December: "On the day we had a little bit of luck.

"We were out of it but we didn't give up, surrender - and then managed to end the game on a real high.

"That said, it has no relevance to this game. It's a totally different game, away from home where we hope we can get some points."

On the rematch: "Liverpool away will be a really good test for us.

"We know it's going to be very difficult - they have very good players and a manager I'm sure will be a success in the long term.

"We've played well there recently but not got any points. The next challenge is to go there and get something.

"The turning point was Chelsea away last season - we then started to believe we could beat anyone. Now we've learned that if we're at our maximum - and perhaps the other team has a slight off-day - we have a chance of winning."

On Sadio Mane's absence: "He's a player we respect and he was excellent when we played Southampton last year, but you know they have high-quality players they can bring in.

"Any time you go to Liverpool you respect their quality - but it's down to us to repel that."