Liverpool XI vs Bournemouth: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup, injury latest for Premier League | OneFootball

A Ballon d’Or nominee could come in at the expense of a record-setter

Liverpool could make one big change to the side that lost the Community Shield when they host Bournemouth for the 2025-26 Premier League season opener on Friday night.

Summer signings Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are all expected to make their Premier League debuts for Liverpool after starting in the Community Shield, with the latter set to face his former club here.

Kerkez and Frimpong are Arne Slot’s likeliest full-back duo, particularly with Conor Bradley recovering from injury, and the continued absence of Joe Gomez with a lower leg issue means it will surely be Ibrahima Konate partnering Virgil van Dijk in the heart of Liverpool’s backline again, protecting No1 goalkeeper Alisson.

Ekitike should be joined in attack by Mohamed Salah - who is hunting a league-record extending 10th opening day goal and 14th direct goal involvement as he aims to overcome another poor showing at Wembley - and Cody Gakpo in an unchanged front three, with Wirtz pulling the strings behind them at the tip of a midfield trio.

It’s in the middle of the park that Slot could tweak the XI that started at Wembley last weekend, then, with Ballon d’Or nominee Alexis Mac Allister now seemingly available again after a 20-minute cameo in the Community Shield suggested he has recovered from an injury picked up at the end of last season.

The Argentine could therefore be brought in to partner Dominik Szoboszlai at the expense of Curtis Jones, who may feel slightly hard done by given his 53 completed passes with 100% accuracy in the Community Shield was the highest perfect tally on record in the competition.

In truth, though, Jones likely only made Slot’s XI on that occasion given Ryan Gravenberch missed out due to the birth of his child. The Dutchman will also be absent on Friday, as he serves a suspension for his red card at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

But if Mac Allister isn’t quite ready to start, Jones may be handed another run-out to begin the new season. Slot’s other alternatives include the likes of Wataru Endo, and the more attack-minded Harvey Elliott, while Andy Robertson looks set to deputise for Kerkez at left-back this season and Federico Chiesa continues to be a back-up in attack following the departures of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.

Liverpool predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike

Injured: Bradley, Gomez

Suspended: Gravenberch

Venue: Anfield

How to watch: Sky Sports