Liverpool team news v Bournemouth: Slot recalls his big guns but no place at all for Chiesa | OneFootball

Liverpool have the opportunity to open up an overnight nine-point lead at the summit of the Premier League if they can begin February with a victory.

In order to do so, however, the Reds will need to get the better of a Bournemouth side who are unbeaten in 11 top-flight matches since 23 November, and who thumped third-placed Nottingham Forest 5-0 last weekend.

Arne Slot’s team won the reverse fixture 3-0 at Anfield in September, their fourth successive victory over the Cherries in all competitions, but Andoni Iraola’s side are a far tougher proposition now and have already beaten each of the four teams directly behind LFC in the table.

Three points at the Vitality Stadium will be hard-earned for Liverpool if they return home with the jackpot tonight, although they were buoyed by the involvement of Joe Gomez, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez in training on Friday.

After Slot sensibly opted to rest a large chunk of the usual starting XI for the inconsequential Champions League clash away to PSV Eindhoven on midweek, a number of familiar faces inevitably come back into the line-up today.

(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Liverpool starting XI to face Bournemouth

Alisson Becker returns between the sticks, while there’s a back four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson, who reverts to the left-hand side after a rare outing at centre-back on Wednesday.

Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister resume their highly effective partnership in midfield, with Dominik Szoboszlai again starting in the number 10 role.

Mo Salah takes up his customary right-sided berth, with Cody Gakpo on the left and Luis Diaz once more given the nod at centre-forward.

In terms of the substitutes’ bench, Nunez and Jota are included along with Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones. However, Gomez isn’t yet fit enough to make the matchday squad, while Federico Chiesa is also omitted.

You can view the Liverpool starting XI and subs in full below, via @LFC on X: