Bournemouth vs Liverpool preview: team news, lineups, TV, kick-off time, referee & VAR

As the winter schedule becomes increasingly hectic, Liverpool face another short turnaround between matches when they travel to Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup round of 16 on Wednesday evening.

Liverpool eased past Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon with goals from Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah helping the Reds to a comfortable 3-0 win.

The victory kept Jurgen Klopp's side fourth in the Premier League table and boosted the club's points tally to 23 from ten league matches after an impressive start to the season.

However, Wednesday evening offers a fresh opportunity to the Reds, travelling to the Vitality Stadium in a bid to make it to the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

Liverpool have played just once in the competition so far this season, producing a dominant display to beat Championship Leicester City 3-1 at Anfield back in September. Klopp has won this competition only once before back in 2021/22, but will fancy his chances of getting another trophy under his belt this year.

With all that said, let's take a look at Liverpool's trip to Bournemouth in greater detail.

DATE, KICK-OFF, STADIUM, REFEREE & VAR

• Date: Wednesday, 1 November 2023

• Kick-off time: 19:45 BST / 14:45 ET / 11.45 PT

• Stadium: Vitality Stadium

• Referee: John Brooks

• Assistants: Lee Betts & Akil Howson

• Fourth official: James Linington

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD

Liverpool may not have a storied history with Bournemouth, but their record in this fixture is certainly impressive. Out of 20 meetings, the Reds have triumphed in 15, losing two and drawing three.

In fact, Liverpool have already beaten Bournemouth this season, a 3-1 win at Anfield back in August. Having conceded in the opening three minutes, goals from Luis Diaz, Salah and Jota ensured that an Alexis Mac Allister red card - which was later rescinded - didn't prove costly.

There was, of course, Liverpool's 9-0 thrashing of the Cherries last season, equalling the Premier League record for the largest ever victory in the competition. It was a day that will live long in the memory, a scintillating performance that got former Bournemouth boss Scott Parker the sack.

However, there can be no complacency from the Reds for their trip to the south coast on Wednesday evening. Liverpool lost at the Vitality Stadium last season, a 1-0 defeat that also saw Salah miss a penalty in an underwhelming loss.

Ironically, that match came after Liverpool had put seven past rivals Manchester United at Anfield just a week earlier.

Bournemouth have twice been Liverpool's opponents in the Carabao Cup, back in 2014 and 2015 under a different competition name. The latter meeting was actually Klopp's first victory as Reds boss, a Nathaniel Clyne goal securing a 1-0 win at Anfield.

WHERE TO WATCH BOURNEMOUTH VS LIVERPOOL ON TV

Unfortunately for Liverpool fans in the United Kingdom, Wednesday's Carabao Cup clash is not on TV. The best you've got is listening to the game on talkSPORT Radio.

For those in Europe, DAZN and Viaplay are among the TV companies with the rights to the game.

In the United States, the game will be streamed on ESPN+.

Match commentary, highlights and full match replay will be available after the game across the world on LFCTV.

LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS

Klopp is likely to rotate his side heavily for the trip to Bournemouth, as he did in the previous round and has done in the Europa League this season.

Caoimhin Kelleher is likely to replace Alisson between the sticks, while Joe Gomez and Joel Matip should return to the starting lineup. There could also be a start for Jarell Quansah, with Gomez shifting to right-back instead.

Andy Robertson's long-term injury after dislocating his shoulder means that Luke Chambers or Calum Scanlon - both of whom featured against Toulouse last Thursday - could get some minutes with Kostas Tsimikas likely to be rested.

Ryan Gravenberch has started Liverpool's last three games and could therefore be given some time on the bench alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. There's a strong possibility that Wataru Endo, fresh from an impressive showing in the Europa League, will feature alongside Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.

Luis Diaz will obviously still be missing after his father was kidnapped in Colombia, with Jota likely to start on the left flank after goals in his last two games.

Cody Gakpo, who saw a stoppage-time goal ruled out for offside against Nottingham Forest, will probably lead the line, while Mohamed Salah may be forced to start given Ben Doak is still out with injury.

Thiago, Stefan Bajcetic and Conor Bradley remain sidelined.

BOURNEMOUTH TEAM NEWS

Fresh from a first league win of the season under new boss Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth could also ring the changes for Liverpool's visit.

Summer signing Tyler Adams remains injured and will likely be missing until 2024, while Lewis Cook is still suspended after his foolish red card against Wolverhampton Wanderers over a week ago.

Goalkeeper and captain Neto will miss out as he did at the weekend, with Andrei Radu or Darren Randolph coming into replace him, while centre-back Marcos Senesi and full-back Ryan Fredericks will be absent as well.

It could be yet another reunion between Liverpool and Dominic Solanke should the Englishman start.

PREDICTED LINEUP

(4-3-3): Kelleher; Gomez, Matip, Quansah, Chambers; Endo, Elliott, Jones; Salah, Gakpo, Jota.

PREDICTION

It's always tough to know what you're going to get when Klopp rotates in cup competitions. Largely second-string sides played brilliantly against Leicester in the last round and Toulouse in the Europa League, but shakier performances against LASK and Union Saint-Gilloise in Europe show that it might not be plain-sailing.

A lot probably depends on whether Bournemouth field a weakened side as well, but Liverpool should have enough firepower regardless. A makeshift backline could open some doors for the Cherries' forward players, however, the Reds will be confident of netting a few themselves.

Bournemouth 1-2 Liverpool