English Premier
2025-08-15 - Liverpool vs Bournemouth
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Friday 15th August 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Liverpool
Failing to add the Community Shield to the Premier League title may have been a blessing in disguise for Liverpool when considering the recent history of the winners of the annual season curtain-raiser. Only one of the previous fifteen Community Shield Winners have gone on to win the Premier League title and Liverpool will be going into the new season as favourites to retain the Championship and extend that sequence further.
The title was won comfortably last season and that is even when accounting for the late year dip in form as Liverpool lost a bit of intensity. Home form was really important for The Reds who finished with a 14-4-1 record at Anfield where they scored 42 goals and conceded 16.
Liverpool's draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday in the Community Shield means they have not won any of their last 5 games in all competitions, including the last 4 Premier League fixtures. After losing to Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield in the Champions League Last 16 Second Leg, Liverpool concluded the season unbeaten in 5 here. However, the last 2 Premier League games at Anfield in draws with Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
Ryan Gravenberch is completing a suspension left over from last season, while both Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez are doubts. Reports suggest Liverpool are interested in bringing in Marc Guehi and Alexander Isak, but neither has been signed at the time of writing and Arne Slot may use the same eleven that started the Community Shield.
Bournemouth
As the season was winding down, Bournemouth were firmly in the fight for European Football in the Premier League, but they ultimately came up short. Despite that, Andoni Iraola did lead the club to their joint best top flight finish when guiding them to 9th and it is perhaps no surprise that so many of the key players have departed this summer.
The next three weeks are going to be important for the manager as he hopes the board can bring in some reinforcements with the huge financial sales made in the window. Two signings have been made so far, but Bournemouth are expecting to be active in the remainder of the window. For now the squad have a considerable test having produced a 7-7-5 away record in the top flight last season, which meant only the top two finished with fewer defeats than Bournemouth.
The Cherries beat Leicester City on the final day, which means they concluded the campaign with 2 wins in the final 6 League games. It was also a result that snapped a run of consecutive defeats. Bournemouth won 1 of their last 6 away Premier League games, although they were only beaten twice in that time.
Ryan Christie, Luis Sinisterra and Justin Kluivert are all doubtful. Djordje Petrovic and Adrien Truffert are both expected to start to replace Kepa and Milos Kerkez who were sold, but Bournemouth could still be short-handed at the back.
Head to Head
Liverpool did the Premier League double over Bournemouth last season with a 3-0 win at home followed by a 0-2 win at the Vitality Stadium.
Liverpool have now won 6 in a row at Anfield against this opponent.
Prediction
An emotional Anfield is set to open the Premier League season with tributes expected to be pouring out for Diogo Jota.
The second Liverpool goal in the Community Shield was timed at 20:20, which seemed incredibly fitting, but Arne Slot may not have been impressed with some of the defending produced by his team.
He has admitted that it will be a work in progress considering both full backs have been replaced and Liverpool do look a little short at the back in terms of options. Marc Guehi looks like a player that could be signed, but he is not expected to have arrived at Liverpool on Friday and this may be a game in which the manager looks for his team to out-score the opponent.
Liverpool impressed going forward, especially Florian Wirtz and Huge Ekitike, and that will be encouraging.
It feels especially important as Liverpool open the season against a Bournemouth team that have lost four of the back five from last season. Sales have been impressive for accountants amongst the fanbase, but Andoni Iraola will be hoping that some of the money can be reinvested to bolster his options with Bournemouth looking like they need a number of replacements before the transfer window closes.
Expectations have been raised under the Spanish manager, although visiting Anfield has regularly been a tough challenge for the club.
Bournemouth have lost 6 in a row here and 5 of those defeats have been by at least two goals, including each of the last 3 since returning to the top flight.
They will be encouraged by some of the attacking football that Crystal Palace produced against Liverpool and Bournemouth may feel they can play their part in the opener. However, it could be tough to contain Liverpool in what is likely to be a powerful atmosphere at Anfield under the lights and the Champions can begin this season with a win by two or more goals.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Liverpool 3-1 Bournemouth
