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2023/24 English Premier League
Matchday 21
Bournemouth v Liverpool
Vitality Stadium
Bournemouth, England
Sunday, 21 January 2024
Kick-off is at 18h30
Liverpool must cope without talisman Mohamed Salah for a spell as they prepare for a tricky trip to the south coast to face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, January 21.
Salah scored twice in a 4-2 win over Newcastle at Anfield on New Year's Day which was his final appearance before linking up with Egypt for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The 31-year-old winger could miss up to four
Premier League matches for the Reds if the Pharaohs reach the final of the tournament in Ivory Coast and Jurgen Klopp has to look elsewhere for goals in the meantime.
Klopp's side hold a two-point lead over Manchester City (2nd) and Aston Villa (3rd) after the victory on Merseyside extended their unbeaten run to an impressive 13 games.
The Citizens climbed above the Villans on goal difference with a 3-2 triumph against the Magpies at St James' Park on January 13 after Unai Emery's side could only manage a 0-0 draw at Everton the following day.
The Cherries were one of the in-form teams during the final month of 2023, winning four on the spin as part of a seven-match unbeaten run before losing 3-1 at Tottenham on December 31.
Andoni Iraola's side pulled well away from danger as a result and find themselves four points outside the top 10 in 12th place, four behind Wolves (11th), who are also knocking on the door after winning three in a row.
Newcastle currently occupy 10th spot, but they are in free-fall after losing seven of their last 10 outings, including four straight defeats at the turn of the year.
Iraola was pleased with the overall performance against Spurs, but insisted they are far from the finished article after one mistake proved costly in the capital.
"I'm really happy with the performance. We played with really strong personality against a top opposition," the Spaniard said.
"We had our chances, we had a lot of the ball around their box and in their half but it wasn't good enough, especially in the last third to make it 1-1 and put them under pressure.
"You make one mistake they punish you and it's something we have to learn and to accept that even at our good level we need to improve things if we want to compete against this kind of opposition."
Klopp admits he could get creative in the absence of Salah, suggesting that a change of formation may be needed to make the team function without the Egyptian star.
"Mo can't play all the time. In the games I rotated him, Mo was probably in the physical state to start the game but I think it makes sense from time to time not going through all of the brick walls," the German said.
"Now, we have to see. We have different options and we can change system. When Mo is playing it makes sense that we play a specific way so that he can be in his favourite position, he deserves that and he helps us there the most.
"But when he's not there we have to be creative and maybe we will be. I don't know what surprises you after all these years but maybe it will! Let's see."
Head-to-Head (Last Five Premier League Meetings)
Matches - 5
Bournemouth - 1
Liverpool - 4
Draws - 0
Premier League Matchday 21 fixtures:
Saturday, January 20
14h30: Arsenal v Crystal Palace
19h30: Brentford v Nottingham Forest
Sunday, January 21
16h00: Sheffield United v West Ham United
18h30: Bournemouth v Liverpool
Monday, January 22
21h45: Brighton & Hove Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers
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