Having finally got off the mark in the Premier League at the 10th attempt, Bournemouth will endeavour to pull off a significant EFL Cup scalp when Liverpool head to the Vitality Stadium for Wednesday's fourth-round showdown.

The Cherries eased past Stoke City 2-0 in their previous knockout affair, while the Reds came from behind to record a 3-1 win - as has been tradition this season - over Leicester City.

Match preview

Another miserable South Coast afternoon was on the cards for under-fire head coach Andoni Iraola on Saturday, as Burnley left-back Jack Taylor left Ionut Radu rooted to the spot with a vicious 11th-minute volley, but Antoine Semenyo's calm finish across goal left the basement battle on a knife edge.

James Trafford had done his bit to keep Burnley in the game, but the Clarets goalkeeper was then caught in no man's land by Philip Billing, whose long-range stunner preceded yet another farcical VAR episode, as the officials seemingly could not determine whether Jay Rodriguez was onside or offside as he raced through to net a late leveller.

Ultimately, Burnley fell foul of the dreaded red line as Bournemouth relieved some of the growing pressure on Iraola's shoulders, leaping out of the relegation zone into 17th place in the process and leaving Sheffield United as the only team without a maximum in the 2023-24 Premier League season.

Iraola had already masterminded a pair of EFL Cup successes over Championship opposition in Swansea City and Stoke City prior to his inaugural Premier League win, sending the Cherries into the fourth round for the second year running, but their journey was ended at this stage by eventual runners-up Newcastle United last year.

Bournemouth had previously got as far as the quarter-finals in both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 campaigns before succumbing to Chelsea's superiority, and with a daunting clash versus Manchester City on the agenda this weekend, a knockout upset would be the perfect preparation for their trip to the treble winners.

A few seconds after pouncing on a rebound to break the deadlock against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool attacker Diogo Jota hoisted a Luis Diaz jersey aloft as Anfield paid a heartfelt tribute to the Colombian attacker, whose parents' terrifying kidnap in their homeland dominated the sporting headlines on Sunday morning.

Forest were digging in for a battle against Liverpool before Jota broke their resistance, and further finishes from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah made the margin of victory more emphatic for Liverpool, although head coach Jurgen Klopp echoed many sentiments when he stated that football came second on a sombre afternoon.

Clinging on to fourth place in the table thanks to their fifth successive Premier League home win, Liverpool harnessed their fightback powers during September's EFL Cup opener with Leicester City, where Kasey McAteer's third-minute strike proved meaningless as the Reds hit the Championship pace-setters for three to ensure a safe route into the last 16.

The defence of their 2022 EFL Cup title was ended by Manchester City at this point last season, but with four wins and a draw to show from their last five contests - scoring at least two goals on each occasion - a goal-happy Liverpool are well-placed to go at least one better this time around.

As has been the case on several occasions already this term, Liverpool fell behind to Bournemouth in August's battle before storming back to triumph 3-1, although their most recent visit to the Vitality in March memorably saw Gary O'Neil's Cherries avenge their 9-0 Anfield annihilation through a solitary Billing goal.

Team News

Bournemouth were forced into a late change at right-back against Burnley as Max Aarons trudged off to be replaced by Adam Smith, although it is unclear whether the former Norwich City man left the field with anything serious.

Regardless, Iraola will continue to cope without Tyler Adams (thigh), Emiliano Marcondes (foot), Ryan Fredericks (calf), Luis Sinisterra, Mark Travers (both cup-tied) and first-choice goalkeeper Neto (foot), with the latter's absence guaranteeing back-to-back starts for Inter Milan loanee Radu.

Lewis Cook must also serve the second of a three-game ban for his red card against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but Marcos Senesi has recovered from a muscular concern.

As for Liverpool, Diaz was understandably not involved against Forest following news of his parents' kidnapping, and while the Colombia international's father remains missing, it is difficult to envision Klopp including him in the squad for the trip south.

All of Andrew Robertson (shoulder), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (hip) are absent too, while and Ben Doak (muscle) is touch-and-go, but Curtis Jones has completed his lengthy domestic suspension and should benefit from some inevitable Reds rotation.

A second senior start could also come the way of Luke Chambers following his run-out against Toulouse, while Caoimhin Kelleher, Jarell Quansah and the fit-again Cody Gakpo are among those expected to enter the fray from the first whistle.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Radu; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Rothwell, Billing; Ouattara, Semenyo, Kluivert; Solanke

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Gomez, Quansah, Matip, Chambers; Elliott, Endo, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo

We say: Bournemouth 1-3 Liverpool

Boosted by a timely injection of confidence, Bournemouth ought to play without fear in a contest where few will expect them to come out on top, which might spell danger for a Liverpool backline that remains far from impermeable.

Klopp will certainly not be afraid to shuffle his pack, but with an enviable selection of in-form attackers bound to begin the contest, the Reds should still prove too hot for the Cherries to handle.


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