Preview of the Premier League Opening Game: The Reds vowed to get a good start at home, and the Cherry Legion s defense line is in a hurry!

At the Battle of Anfield, Liverpool stepped onto the green field with defending ambition and painful memories tonight, and the Premier League war rekindled! Defending champion Liverpool faces Bournemouth at Anfield and starts the 2025-26 season. At 3 am on August 16 (8 pm local time on August 15, UK), this focus battle will start at Liverpool's home court and will be broadcast live by Sky Sports.

The Red Army's new chapter: The starting line of the road to defending the title

As the Premier League champion last season, Liverpool topped the top with an impressive record of 25 wins, 9 draws and 4 losses, with an impressive record of 84 points, and 86 league goals were the best. Salah even won the Golden Boot with 29 goals, and his firepower was fully launched.

Although he lost to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield, the performance of the new player was eye-catching: Flynnon broke through sharply on the right and scored a goal, Kylkos took the left gate to show off his offense and defense balance, Wilz's creativity in the midfield showed his strength, and Ekitic provided a new fulcrum in the frontcourt.

Hidden dangers also exist: the defensive organizational problems exposed by the Community Shield have not been resolved. The tacit understanding between new and old players is insufficient, and the pass error rate of midfield and backcourt has recently risen to 21%, and Gravenberg's suspension (red card penalty) has weakened the midfield barrier.

Bornemouth: The reorganized defense line's back-to-back battle

Cherry Legion set a record in Premier League points in the team's history (56 points), ranking 9th. This summer, the team encountered a crisis of defence disintegration:

main left-back Kylekos switched to Liverpool

central defender Huyson was taken away by Real Madrid's activation of liquidated damages

core central defender Zabarney joined Paris Saint-Germain

loan goalkeeper Kepa left the team after his expiration of his period, and the collective loss of the four pillars of the defense line has forced coach Iraola to use a new combination in the opening game - new players Truffer and Petrovic may start, but the running-in is doubtful.

The offensive end was also damaged: core winger Sinister (13 goals and 6 assists last season) was suspected of playing due to a hamstring injury, forward Yunal was confirmed to be absent, and Klassen's recovery was unknown.

Historical confrontation: One-sided suppression

Liverpool can be called Bournemouth's "nemesis". The data reveals an overwhelming advantage:

12 wins in the last 13 confrontations, and the only loss is 0-1

9 away games in 2023, including a 9-0 bloodbath

Last season's double kill: 4-0 at home, 3-0 away

Bournemouth has not won in 9 away games (1 draw and 8 losses)

Tactical game: The match between spear and shield

Liverpool's test of breaking secret defense

Bournemouth is expected to use the "squat pit defense + quick counterattack" strategy, similar to the successful model of Crystal Palace in the Community Shield. Liverpool needs to break the dense defense line, Salah's breakthrough on the wing, Van Dijk's set-piece competition, and Wilz's long-range shot will become key weapons.

Bornemouth's counterattack lifeblood Cherry Legion counterattack speed is 1.8 meters per second (fourth in the league), but its positional combat creativity is weak (only 8.3 key passes per game). Antonine Semenyo's wing raid with Brooks will be one of the few sources of threats for the visiting team.

Emotional Factor: Jota's Eternal Memorial

This battle will be shrouded in sorrow and respect. Liverpool players wrapped their arms around the black veil and held a silence ceremony before the game to mourn teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident this summer. Anfield will surely be shrouded in the tragic atmosphere, and the Red Army soldiers vow to comfort their old friends with victory.

First forecast and results preview

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson/Flynnon, Connert, Van Dijk, Kylekos/McCallister, Sobosloy, Jones/Salah, Ekitic, Garkepo

Injury: Joe Gomez (Achilles tendon), Bradley (Injury)

Suspension: Gravenberg

Bornemouth (4-3-3): Peter Rovich/Solair, Mefam, Senesi, Truffer/Scott, Adams, Tavenie/Semenyo, Evannielsson, Brooks

Injury: Yunal, Cook, Christie; the game is doubtful: Sinister, Classen

Results prediction:

Liverpool is expected to control the situation with home momentum and offensive firepower, and Bournemouth's restructuring defense is difficult to stop the forward impact led by Salah. The score of 3-1 or 2-1 is more likely to reappear. Bournemouth may be able to steal a goal while the Reds' defense line is running-in, but it is difficult to escape the fate of losing.

The curtain of the Premier League for the new season slowly opened in Anfield. Liverpool set foot on the battlefield with determination to defend the title and longing for Jota, while Bournemouth faces severe tests after the reorganization of the defense line. On tonight's green field, honor, memory and tactical wisdom will intertwin and collide. Can the Red Army start the journey of defending the title with victory? The answer will be announced in 90 minutes.