Premier League Preview: A Clash of Style on The South Coast

Bournemouth vs Liverpool

You don’t need Premier League 2018 betting odds to tell you that these two clubs have something to smile about.

You don’t need to be a Premier League whizz to realise that they also have two fine managers who are making their mark, albeit with differing resources.

Both are success stories and delivering football which makes SBOBET fans smile.

Now as they meet on the south coast, could we be in for another round of Premier League 2018 highlights?

Talking Points

Liverpool’s last-gasp Merseyside derby success last weekend, followed up by a comeback success at Burnley, kept them within touching distance of leaders Manchester City at the top.

Bournemouth had suffered four straight defeats until a 2-1 win over Huddersfield in midweek, a result that briefly lifted them up into sixth place.

Bournemouth aim to get back-to-back Premier League wins when they face Liverpool — Callum Wilson celebrates with Joshua King after scoring their first goal of the match

Yet, that has largely gone unnoticed because Eddie Howe’s men have given genuine tests to Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City in a difficult run of fixtures.

In fact, they were very unfortunate to lose to both United and Arsenal at home and, on their day, can be a match for most.

Howe says he is already relishing a busy set of festive fixtures with games against Wolves, Brighton, Tottenham and the rematch with United. Not to mention a League Cup quarter-final with Chelsea, all to come before December is out.

The 41-year-old manager not only encourages players, but improves them and insists his side plays good football, no matter the opposition – something that has come back to haunt them against bigger clubs despite having a fraction of the resources.

There has indeed been much praise for Howe, who is the longest-serving manager in the top flight and the third most enduring across four divisions. Only Jim Bentley at Morecambe and Gareth Ainsworth of Wycombe have outlasted Howe’s six years on the south coast.

Klopp is also a firm favourite with many of the media and he has done a good job, obviously on a much bigger budget.

Liverpool look genuine title contenders and have the best squad they have possessed for at least a decade.

Being unbeaten in the Premier League going into this fixture is a fine achievement, and Klopp’s desire to spend big has been matched by his desire to spend wisely – which is a justification of their second place in the table.

The front three of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have received light criticism for failing to hit the heights of last season shows why some fans are never satisfied. They remain a deadly trio, two of which are in the Premier League leading scorers’ chart as we fast approach the halfway point of the campaign.

It is, in defence, where many of the plaudits are being focused this time.

The big money signings of Alisson and Virgil van Dijk are proving money well spent as Liverpool have only conceded six goals in 15 games – the second-best record in history at this stage of a top-flight season (Chelsea let in four in 2008-09).

In theory, Klopp’s high-flying visitors should win this with something to spare but Bournemouth can’t be written off. The Howe factor has seen to that.

History

These sides have only met 13 times in their history – and nine of those have been since 2014.

But while Liverpool have a dominant record, the Cherries have had a few moments to savour.

Not least two seasons ago when they won one of the games of the season fighting back from 3-1 down with a quarter of an hour remaining to win a seven-goal thriller.

They followed that up four months later with a 2-2 draw at Anfield when Josh King scored a late equaliser.

Expectations were restored last season when Liverpool put seven past Bournemouth without reply, winning 4-0 at the Vitality Stadium before a 3-0 triumph at Anfield.

That 4-3 success two years ago remains Bournemouth’s only ever victory against the red half of Merseyside.