“,”elementId”:”d16ab20a-48d4-4c09-a7c8-8e8bcddc3344″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement”,”url”:”https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/20/revamped-liverpool-back-for-familiar-title-battle-with-manchester-city”,”text”:”Revamped Liverpool back for familiar title battle with Manchester City”,”prefix”:”Related: “,”role”:”thumbnail”,”elementId”:”01ce973b-a55a-45f5-b613-1c70ff564b5c”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1705852326000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”10.52 EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1705852477000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”: “10.54 EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1705852477000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”10.54 EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”10.54″,”title”:”Pregame Read”,”Posted by”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Sunday 21 January 2024 12.10 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Sunday 21 January 2024 10.37 EST”},{“id”:”65ad3aa88f0819b86aada1bd”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
The unfamiliar names in those XIs are all at full-back. For Liverpool, the roles of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson (and Kostas Tsimikas) go to their understudies, Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez. For Bournemouth, the roles of Adam Smith and Milos Kerkez go to Max Aarons and James Hill, who has spent most of the season on loan at Blackburn. Hill is a centre-back, so it may be that Andoni Iraola is switching to a back three.
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Afternoon everyone and welcome to the teatime MBM. Premier League football is a simple game: 20 teams chase a trophy for nine months and then Man City win. Unless Jurgen Klopp can stop them.
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There’s a widespread feeling that City have it in the bag again, after toying with us by getting only seven points from a run of six games before the Club World Cup. But they’re not top of the form table (which covers the last six games for every club) – Liverpool are. In fact, City are not even second: Bournemouth are.
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After a sticky start Andoni Iraola has built on Gary O’Neil’s good work and got Bournemouth flying. His team know how to win, play proper football, and have gone from bad to excellent at home. Liverpool’s away form has improved too, going from middling to more than decent, but today they’re without their two most lethal weapons, Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Opta algorithm gives Bournemouth only a 15pc chance of a win today, but a mere human says it might make sense to double that.
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Kick-off is at 4.30pm GMT and I’ll be back soon with the teams.
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Bournemouth (possible 4-2-3-1) Neto; Aarons, Mepham, Zabarnyi, Hill; Cook, Christie; Sinisterra, Tavernier, Kluivert; Solanke.
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Subs: Travers, Kelly, Greenwood, Marcondes, Scott, Brooks, Billing, Kilkenny, Moore.
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Liverpool (forever 4-3-3) Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Elliott, Mac Allister, Jones; Jota, Nunez, Diaz.
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Subs: Adrian, Kelleher, Quansah, Beck, McConnell, Clark, Gravenberch, Gakpo.
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Referee Andrew Madley.
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important events
40 minutes The pendulum of possession has really swung a lot. Against Bournemouth he was 59-41 and now against Liverpool he is 63-37. However, Bournemouth are creating chances with Christie playing a great ball down the right. He continues on and gets on the edge of the cross, but his shot has no power.
38 minutes Jota delivered what might have been the best cross of the day, a nice little roll across the six-yard box that ended just behind the advancing Nuñez.
36 minutes Diaz was knocked down after Kluivert stepped on his ankle after getting out of a one-on-one with Mac Allister. Manager Klopp exchanged friendly words with the fourth official. “Between yellow and red,” thinks Alan Smith. As far as I know, there were no cards and Diaz stood up.
34 minutes Liverpool continue to connect passes. Jones collides with Tavernier and they both fall, but get back up. Liverpool keep chasing. Diaz has been the one to take long shots lately, but he doesn't take mid-range shots or get in Neto's way.
32 minutes After a 10-minute break, Bournemouth returned to their desks. Sinisterra began his wandering to his left, knocking down three defenders, then twisting and turning his body to the point of disarray.
31 minutes Dias' cross prompted a scissor kick from Nunez, and Liverpool threatened again. He accepted the invitation, but missed his kick and kicked it into a nearby defender, committing a cheap foul.
half an hour As the 30th minute approaches, it's all Liverpool. Elliot, who is busy, gets mixed up with the dangerous Diaz, who is difficult to collect. Of the past 65 passes, 58 have been made by players wearing white, black, or random green.
27 minutes Van Dijk jumped over everyone else, but could only head the ball back towards the touchline, probably due to a deflection. Liverpool keep the ball and pass the ball around. When Diaz on the left side raises a cross, Nuñez in the center can't reach it even with his ponytail.
26 minutes Liverpool's good progress continued at the first corner. Elliott takes a shot, someone heads it in, Bradley crosses it back and Bournemouth tuck it in for another corner.
25 minutes Let's give Liverpool another shot! It's once again a long game as Nunez looks to test Neto, but the blows aren't as strong as the wind and the keeper is up to the challenge of dealing with both.
24 minutes Nuñez's eyes lit up as he attacked from the left, but after evading two defenders, he was snatched away by a third defender.
23 minutes Liverpool won a free kick with 25 yards left…but it was a poor one, curling straight out of play.
21 minutes Liverpool are more likely to end games than they are to start them. However, Jurgen Klopp, who is adept at using subs, currently has no subs as he is over 25 years old. On the bench is Kodi Gakpo (24), the father of the family.
19 minutes Liverpool have seized their chance! Alexis Mac Allister went for it from 25 yards but missed.
18 minutes Bournemouth got into the box twice without bothering the statisticians.
17 minutes Liverpool finally get the ball. Elliott ran down the inside right channel and cut back to Gomez, whose cross went straight out wide. They're missing Trent dearly, but they're ready for the mission.
16 minutes The only shot so far, a slightly angled one by Tavernier, is not in the official record. Has that ever happened if the shot wasn't spotted by the statistician?
13 minutes Nunez, a left winger, sent a brilliant switch to Liverpool's right flank. However, that side now consists of Dias and Bradley instead of Salah and Alexander-Arnold. Diaz tries to find an opening. Bradley overlaps behind him but goes unnoticed and the move disappears.
12 minutes Bournemouth had a chance to send Solanke on, but they failed. This is the first time they've looked like a bottom team from outside the standings.
10 minutes Bournemouth have 59 per cent of the possession, but that could change soon as Liverpool look more lively in midfield.
8 minutes This time Liverpool escape. At one point it was 3-2, but Bournemouth once again kept their cool at the back and Christie put out the fire.
7 minutes Quarter chance! Tavernier takes a short corner and takes a shot himself, approaching from an angle.
6 minutes With Jones and Jota threatening to do something down the left, Liverpool finally push forward. But soon the ball goes up to the other side and Solanke pops out for a long throw. Another corner to Bournemouth.
4 minutes Bournemouth also leads in the tailoring stakes. Liverpool is wearing a white shirt (with random green bits) and black shorts. Bournemouth has classic red and black stripes. There are no contests.
3 minutes Nothing happened in the second corner, but when Liverpool tried to get out on the counter, Chris Mepham calmly tried to clear them away.
2 minutes A corner leads to some scraps and another corner. Bournemouth are by no means in awe.
1 minute When Bournemouth kicked off, they went long and immediately came forward. Kluivert wins the right corner.
The cameras focus on Dominic Solanke, one of the best players in the Prem this season. and the player who took the most shots (66). If he was still at Liverpool he would still be playing today.
There's also an unfamiliar name on the lips of commentators: Storm Isha. The wind swirls around the ground. Can Liverpool's big name do it on a blustery Sunday night on the south coast?
Apparently, at this stage of the season, we are witnessing the closest title fight in “over 20 years.” Sky just announced it without revealing chapter and verse about what happened at the time. But it's certainly sweet that the difference between the top five teams is only five points. Can Liverpool increase that to eight? You'll find out soon.
This day's text is by Rob Smith, who covered the other match. “David Moyes stomped his feet with an apocalyptic look on his face,” he writes.
Sheffield United escaped with a draw after Oli McBurnie sunk a penalty. It's McBurney time! Although they are still at the bottom, they have finally reached double digits with 10 points from 21 games. West Ham remain in 6th place with 21 wins and 35 losses, missing out on a chance to build a big lead over Spurs (21 wins, 40 losses) or further embarrass Man United (21 wins, 32 losses). There is.
A strange feature of today's match was that none of the four teams involved were in a position to move up or down in the standings. Whatever happens at the Vitality Stadium, Liverpool will remain top of the table for the time being with at least a two-point lead over Man City. And Bournemouth will remain in 12th place, as they have a clear goal difference of three points (-7 plays -1) to Wolves.
However, for a team that was in 19th place as of October 20th, 12th place is an asset. Bournemouth have picked up three points from their first eight games and now have 22 points from their last 11 games.
In today's other match, Sheffield United look to award a penalty in the 12th minute of added time… Join Rob Smith and see what happens next.
pre-game reading
Can Liverpool stop City from winning the title? Sachin Nakrani ponders that question and looks at the way Jurgen Klopp has revamped the midfield. Jordan who?
Wingers may be licking their lips
All of the unfamiliar names in these eleven are at full-back. For Liverpool, the roles of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson (and Kostas Tsimikas) will be given to their juniors Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez. At Bournemouth, the roles of Adam Smith and Milos Kerkes will be filled by Max Aarons and James Hill, who spent most of the season on loan at Blackburn. Hill is a center back, so there is a possibility that Andoni Iraola could switch to a back three.
team
Bournemouth (possible 4-2-3-1) Neto. Aarons, Mepham, Zabalny, Hill. Cook, Christy. Sinisterra, Tavernier, Kluivert; Solanke.
Subs: Travers, Kerry, Greenwood, Marcondes, Scott, Brooks, Billings, Kilkenny, Moore.
Liverpool (permanent 4-3-3) Alison. Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez. Elliott, Mac Allister, Jones. Jota, Nuñez, Diaz.
Subs: Adrian, Kelleher, Quansah, Beck, McConnell, Clarke, Graven Birch, Gakpo.
referee Andrew Madrid.
preamble
In the afternoon, everyone, welcome to Tea Time MBM. Premier League football is a simple game. 20 teams chase the trophy for his nine months, after which Man City wins. Unless Jurgen Klopp can stop them.
There is a growing feeling that City, who had toyed with us by scoring just seven points in the six games leading up to the Club World Cup, may have seized another chance. But they are not at the top of the table (which covers each club's last six games), Liverpool are. In fact, City are not his second, Bournemouth are his second.
Andoni Iraola got off to a strong start and built on Gary O'Neill's good form to help Bournemouth make the leap. His team knew how to win, played proper football and went from being a bad team to being a good team at home. Liverpool's away form has improved, going from middling to above-so, but today they are missing their two most lethal weapons in Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Opta algorithm gives him only a 15% chance of Bournemouth winning today, but mere mortals say it might make sense for him to double that.
Kickoff is at 4:30pm Japan time. I will return to the team soon.
