Andoni Iraola returns to familiar surroundings on Sunday when Liverpool visit Bournemouth in the final Premier League fixture for both clubs before the international break.

Liverpool have been difficult to beat under their new head coach but three draws from their opening four league matches have restricted them to six points, while Bournemouth are still searching for their first Premier League victory under Marco Rose. The Cherries at least enter the contest on a high after making history with a 2-1 Europa League victory away to Real Sociedad on Thursday.

Analysis

Bournemouth’s European breakthrough brings a new challenge for Rose

Thursday night will occupy a special place in Bournemouth’s history. Their first European fixture ended with a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad in Spain, giving Rose’s side the perfect start to their Europa League campaign and providing a welcome reward after a frustrating opening month domestically.

The Premier League has been less productive. Bournemouth began with defeat against Manchester City before drawing three consecutive matches against Everton, Newcastle and Brentford. Three points from four games leaves them 15th and still searching for the first league victory of Rose’s tenure.

There has nevertheless been enough in their performances to suggest that their position should not cause alarm. Bournemouth remain an aggressive side without the ball and are capable of making matches uncomfortable through their pressing. The question now is whether they can maintain those physical demands while adjusting to Thursday-Sunday football.

That issue becomes particularly relevant this weekend. Bournemouth had to expend considerable energy in San Sebastián on Thursday, while Liverpool have enjoyed significantly more recovery time following their EFL Cup victory on Tuesday.

The Vitality Stadium should at least offer the Cherries some reassurance. Bournemouth are unbeaten there this season and have now gone 12 home matches in all competitions without defeat, winning four. It has not necessarily been a sequence built upon defensive control – they have conceded at least twice in five of those games – but opponents have repeatedly found it difficult to leave the south coast with maximum points.

Liverpool know that better than most. When these teams last met at the Vitality in January, Iraola was still sitting in the Bournemouth dugout. His team won an entertaining contest 3-2, giving him a victory over Arne Slot that will inevitably form part of the narrative surrounding Sunday’s return.

Rose may freshen up the side that started in Spain. Ryan Christie is among those pushing for inclusion, particularly after Tyler Adams was withdrawn shortly after the hour mark against Sociedad.

Bafodé Diakité could also be used at right-back as Bournemouth look for a way to contain Liverpool’s threat from the left, with Rayan and Marcus Tavernier candidates to operate in the wide attacking positions.

Iraola’s Liverpool need to start turning draws into victories

Liverpool’s transition under Iraola has contained plenty of encouraging signs without yet producing the Premier League return they would have wanted.

Three victories from his first six matches in all competitions represents a respectable beginning, and Tuesday’s 3-1 EFL Cup success over Tottenham provided further evidence that the new manager’s ideas are beginning to take hold.

The league record is more complicated. Liverpool sit eighth with six points after drawing three of their opening four games. They have therefore avoided the kind of damaging early defeats that can destabilise a new managerial regime, but another failure to win on Sunday would leave them with only one Premier League victory heading into the international break.

For a club with Liverpool’s ambitions, draws can quickly become expensive. There are encouraging signs at both ends. Iraola’s team have scored seven times across their last four matches and kept two clean sheets during the same period, suggesting that some of the early structural work is producing results.

Midfield remains the obvious area for improvement. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch have struggled at times when Liverpool do not have the ball, and the club’s reported interest in Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara underlines the possibility that Iraola still wants a different profile in the centre of the pitch.

There could be another adjustment on Sunday. Trey Nyoni impressed sufficiently against Tottenham to enter the selection conversation, although Iraola admitted afterwards that the youngster was exhausted after an hour. Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister therefore look the likelier combination at the base of midfield.

Liverpool have no fresh injury concerns, but Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Federico Chiesa remain unavailable.

Ronald Araújo could consequently move from central defence to right-back, while Alexander Isak is expected to lead the attack with Bradley Barcola and Cody Gakpo providing support from the flanks.

Recent history heavily favours the visitors. Liverpool have won six of their last seven meetings with Bournemouth, although that solitary defeat came at this ground only eight months ago. Iraola will hardly need reminding.

Verdict

Bournemouth’s victory in Spain should provide a considerable psychological lift, but the physical cost of their first European adventure could be important here.

Rose wants his team to play with aggression and intensity, precisely the qualities that become harder to sustain when recovery time is limited. Liverpool played two days earlier and also had the luxury of rotating personnel against Tottenham.

The visitors are not yet functioning as smoothly as Iraola would like, particularly in midfield, but there have been enough signs of progress to suggest that their modest league points total understates their potential.

Bournemouth’s 12-match unbeaten home run deserves respect, and their ability to trouble Liverpool was demonstrated by January’s 3-2 victory. This time, however, the combination of Liverpool’s fresher legs and greater attacking depth could finally turn one of their competitive away performances into three points.

Our prediction: Bournemouth 1-2 Liverpool.

Tip

Our tip: Liverpool to win.