They conceded twice in the Community Shield final, and suffered a surprise defeat to Crystal Palace. It could hint at things to come for the Reds.
| Liverpool v Bournemouth | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 3.5 goals | 1.90 |
| Both teams to score | 1.70 |
Odds courtesy of Betway. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Liverpool could be top-heavy
The Reds may implement a high-scoring plan this season. They’ve got more than enough attacking threat, but there are concerns about the quality of their defence. Either way, this approach suggests that plenty of goals should be expected.
Any side with Mo Salah, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, and Federico Chiesa in it will find the net often. Scoring goals shouldn’t be a problem this season for Liverpool, even before they sign more players. However, Palace showed that their defence can be breached, showing other clubs how to do so, at least for now.
Liverpool appear wide open in the new setup with their full-backs, but they create plenty of chances as well. There were four big chances for Palace in the Community Shield final, and three for Liverpool. Arne Slot’s full-backs pushed forward, causing problems for the Eagles, but were also vulnerable to counter-attacks.
That game saw Palace come away with an xG of 2.12, while Liverpool’s was just 1.11. The Reds scoring more goals than expected, but also allowing more chances, could be common this season and very entertaining for fans.
With that in mind, it’s worth looking at the goals market with Liverpool against Bournemouth and other sides.
Goals at Anfield
As many fans expect, Liverpool will come out on top as their title defence begins at Anfield against the Cherries on Friday evening. They’ve got a stronger squad and took a key player, Milos Kerkez, from their opponents over the summer. However, Andoni Iraola will have reasons to be optimistic.
Even with fear possessions, Palace had 14 shots against Liverpool’s 12 away at Wembley. They proved that more possession of the ball isn’t necessary to attack the Reds. Their 2-2 draw and penalty shootout victory should be a warning for Slot and his team.
Liverpool have beaten the Cherries without allowing a goal in their last three meetings. They have scored nine goals without reply in 2024 and 2025. Justin Kluivert’s goal in 2023 was Bournemouth’s last against them. However, Iraola’s side have improved since their most recent clash in February and finished higher than Palace, which should give them confidence.
The Reds will likely be challengers again this season because they have had a strong summer overall. New additions will take a bit of time to settle, which could leave them defensively vulnerable, at least for a while. The overs and the both teams to score markets are certainly tempting in the early stages of the campaign.
After Bournemouth, the Reds face Newcastle United and Arsenal, two teams that also have the ability to score against them. However, Liverpool will also be confident that they can score against them. This could make for a fun season to watch.