Liverpool begin the new Premier League season with a home clash against Bournemouth on Friday, as Anfield welcomes back the champions.
Liverpool vs. Bournemouth
Premier League (1) | Anfield
August 15, 2025 | 8pm (BST)
The Reds may have lost the Community Shield to Crystal Palace, but there is still lots of positivity heading into 2025/26.
A productive summer in the transfer market has seen some stellar names added, and Arne Slot‘s side are the bookies’ favourites to retain their crown.
That said, a well-organised Bournemouth team make the trip to Anfield on Friday evening, looking to spring an opening weekend shock.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of the match.
1. Four new debutants for Liverpool?
After years of relative frugality, Liverpool have spent big this summer, strengthening their squad greatly.
On Friday, as many as four new signings could make their Premier League debuts for the Reds, looking to make an instant impact.
Record signing Florian Wirtz is the star attraction, with the German having the ability and potential to be a game-changing addition to Slot’s squad.
New full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez will add pace from deep, as well as overlapping runs, while Hugo Ekitike showcased his quality at Wembley last weekend.
Giovanni Leoni is arriving from Parma, but the young centre-back is ineligible because he hasn’t signed in time for the game.
If Liverpool can strike deals for Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi, too, it will arguably be the best transfer window in the club’s history.
Meanwhile, the Reds will wear their new Adidas home kit for the first time in the league, having donned the away strip in the Community Shield.
2. Jota to be remembered across the country
Diogo Jota‘s tragic passing last month is still tough to process, and he and his brother Andre Silva will be remembered this weekend.
A moment of silence will be held at all 10 Premier League matches across the country, with players also wearing black armbands.
Meanwhile, messages and images in memory of Jota will be shown on the big screens in stadiums.
Liverpool will do their own tribute, as will former club Wolves, with the Reds having a commemoration planned inside Anfield, including a fan mosaic.
The Reds will also dedicate the front cover of its matchday programme to Jota and his brother.
3. Who is missing for Liverpool?
Liverpool don’t have many injury problems heading into Friday’s game, with Conor Bradley and Stefan Bajcetic the only known absentees.
Joe Gomez and James McConnell only returned to training on Wednesday, though, so both could miss out on a place in the squad.
Liverpool will have to make do without Ryan Gravenberch, however, with the Dutchman missing out through suspension.
He is serving a one-match ban after being sent off at home to Palace on the final day of last season.
4. Possible Liverpool XI
It would be a surprise if Liverpool’s starting lineup against Bournemouth wasn’t similar to the one that faced Palace at Wembley.
That means Frimpong, Kerkez, Wirtz and Ekitike will be handed their Liverpool debuts in the Premier League, while Alisson will make his 300th appearance.
Without Gravenberch, and with Mac Allister still working his way back to fitness, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai could continue in a double pivot.
Wirtz will then weave his magic in a No. 10 role behind fellow new signing Ekitike, with Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo on either flank.
Sixteen-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha will hope to shine from the substitutes’ bench, following a superb pre-season.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike
5. How will Bournemouth line up?
It has been a testing summer for Bournemouth, who have lost three key defenders in Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi.
The latter pair have sealed respective moves to Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
Adrien Truffert has joined from Rennes to replace Kerkez at left-back, while centre-back Bafode Diakite has arrived from Lille.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has come in, too, and should go straight into the starting XI at Anfield.
Enes Unal and Lewis Cook are both out for Bournemouth, as are Ryan Christie (groin), Luis Sinisterra (thigh) and Justin Kluivert (calf).
Possible Bournemouth XI: Petrovic; Araujo, Senesi, Hill, Truffert; Adams, Scott; Semenyo, Tavernier, Ouattara; Evanilson
6. Slot reveals Wirtz’s “biggest strength”
Speaking on Thursday, Slot singled out Wirtz’s mentality as his greatest asset, despite his world-class technical ability:
“He might be young, but he’s already won a lot, so I don’t think we can see him as a young player.
“He won the league in Germany, won the cup, played for his country numerous times, and apart from that, his mentality is maybe his biggest strength.
“That says a lot because if you see him play you’re like, ‘are you serious?’, because he’s so creative.
“He doesn’t get distracted at all by a transfer fee or anything else – good players always find a way to play well in good teams.”
Who else can’t wait to see Wirtz in action again?
7. Liverpool love playing Bournemouth at Anfield
Liverpool have won their last four Premier League meetings with Bournemouth, coming by an aggregate score of 12-1.
At Anfield, they have won 10 and drawn the other out of the last 11 meetings in league and cup, with their only positive result a 2-2 draw in April 2017.
Liverpool’s biggest win against Bournemouth was a 9-0 thrashing at Anfield in August 2022, while the Reds have scored in 15 of the 16 league encounters.
No Cherries player has ever scored more than one goal in any game against the Reds.
8. Did you know?
It’s fair to say that Salah hasn’t produced two of his best penalties in recent weeks!
If the 33-year-old scores from the spot against Bournemouth, though, he will become Liverpool’s record penalty scorer in league history.
It would be his 35th penalty for the Reds, overtaking Billy Liddell‘s tally of 34.
Meanwhile, Salah needs three goals in all competitions at Anfield to move into fourth place on the club’s all-time list, alongside Liddell on 137.
9. Taylor takes charge of opener
Anthony Taylor has been confirmed as the referee for Friday’s match, with the 46-year-old now among the most experienced officials in the country.
Taylor took charge of six Liverpool league games last season, including the wins away to Man United and Man City, with the Reds losing none of them.
Not bad with a Manchester-born referee in charge, to be fair!
Michael Oliver is on VAR at Anfield and Farai Hallam is fourth official, while Gary Beswick and Craig Taylor are the assistant referees.
10. Follow the match with TIA
Liverpool vs. Bournemouth is live on Sky Sports Main Event from 6.30pm (BST), with kickoff at 8pm.
This Is Anfield‘s first Premier League live blog of the season will be running from 7.15pm, with Henry Jackson keeping you company.
Come on you Reds!
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