Bournemouth, who secured their first Premier League win after 10 matches, will be facing a tough test against Liverpool in the EFL Cup fourth round at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday.
The Cherries comfortably defeated Stoke City 2-0 in their previous cup match, while Liverpool continued their habit of coming from behind to win with a 3-1 victory over Leicester City in the EFL Cup competition.
The Reds are currently holding onto the fourth spot in the Premier League table, thanks to their fifth consecutive home win in the competition.
In the EFL Cup opener against Leicester City in September, Kasey McAteer’s early goal was not enough as the Jurgen Klopp’s side comfortably defeated the Championship leaders, scoring three goals to secure a place in the last 16.
The Merseyside club’s defense of their 2022 EFL Cup title ended at this stage last season when they were knocked out by Manchester City.
However, their recent form, with four wins and a draw in their last five matches, during which they scored at least two goals in each game, suggests that the club is in good shape to potentially have a stronger run in the competition this time.
Diaz didn’t play against Forest due to the kidnapping of his parents, and considering his father is still missing, it’s unlikely that Klopp will include him in the squad for the upcoming match.
Several players are unavailable, including Andrew Robertson (shoulder), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (hip), and Ben Doak (muscle).
However, Curtis Jones is now eligible after serving his domestic suspension, and he is likely to benefit from some rotation within the Reds’ squad.
Luke Chambers, who had a senior start against Toulouse, might get another opportunity to play. Additionally, Caoimhin Kelleher, Jarell Quansah, and the now-fit Cody Gakpo are expected to be part of the starting lineup.
Predicted Liverpool Starting XI vs Bournemouth:
Kelleher, Gomez, Quansah, Matip, Chambers, Elliott, Endo, Jones, Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.
Liverpool’s Starting 11
