An in-form Liverpool side brings its goalscoring prowess to the south coast as they visit Bournemouth in the EFL Cup fourth round.
Despite dealing with a host of assorted injuries, the Reds have lost just one match all season, falling to Tottenham back in late September in Premier League play. Since, they have been exceptional, pouring in goals for fun through a five-match unbeaten run with four wins and a draw while scoring at least two goals in every game.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, are under threat of relegation, only out of the drop zone in 17th thanks to a victory last time out over newly promoted Burnley, their first league win of the campaign. The Cherries got past lower-league Stoke City in the last round of the EFL Cup, but face a much more daunting test this time around.
Both sides are dealing with injuries, but Liverpool are getting healthier by the day, with just Andy Robertson, Luis Diaz, and Thiago still out for this match. Bournemouth are without new signing Tyler Adams until the new year, while Ryan Fredericks and Neto will be sidelined as well.
MORE: Bet Bournemouth vs Liverpool in the EFL Cup fourth round
Bournemouth vs Liverpool match facts
- Date: Wednesday, November 1, 2023
- Kickoff Time: 7:45 p.m. local
- Location: Vitality Stadium (Bournemouth, England)
- Official: John Brooks
- Last meeting: Liverpool 3-1 Bournemouth (Aug. 19, 2023 | Premier League)
Bournemouth vs Liverpool prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Liverpool 4/9
- Score prediction: Bournemouth 1-3 Liverpool
Even if Jurgen Klopp decides to rotate his squad, which is likely, the young guns for Liverpool have shown the ability to compete with Premier League talent. Cup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has been outstanding behind Alisson, and young midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has excelled in Cup action.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, have been a sieve defensively, with their 21 goals conceded in league action the third-worst in the English top flight, and their 24.06 xGA mark indicates even that total may be kept lower thanks to some luck.
| BOU win | Draw | LIV win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | LIV -1.5 | BOU +1.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnSports (UK) | 11/2 | 15/4 | 4/9 | -3/4 - 1/1 | 8/15 - 7/5 | 2/1 | 7/4 |
MORE: See all the latest odds for Bournemouth vs Liverpool in the EFL Cup fourth round
Bournemouth vs Liverpool best bet
- Pick: Liverpool -1.5 goal handicap
- Odds: 2/1 (Fitzdares on BetOnSports)
Liverpool's youth reinforcements have been brilliant this season to give the regulars rest through a very heavy fixture list this season. The likes of Gravenberch (more on him in a moment), Kelleher, Harvey Elliott, Jarell Quansah, Luke Chambers, Calum Scanlon, James McConnell, and many others have all come in and done a job to keep the group fit and refreshed, or to fill in for injured regulars.
With another heavy rotation likely here for Jurgen Klopp, those players should see more time yet as they give fans something to savor in a glimpse of the club's future.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, have been extremely poor defensively. While smaller clubs often prioritize Cup play as a chance to secure memorable moments amidst an otherwise laborious and unforgiving league season, Cherries boss Andoni Iraola could also defer to heavy rotation knowing that more injuries could further complicate their perilous journey towards Premier League safety.
There's no reason Liverpool should stop their strong goal-scoring form here, and it's hard to see Bournemouth matching up to give the Reds a truly difficult test.
Bournemouth vs Liverpool prop bet
- Pick: Ryan Gravenberch anytime goal scorer
- Odds: 13/2 (Bet365 on BetOnSports)
The Dutch youngster has found it tough to breach the Liverpool starting lineup in Premier League action, as the Reds midfield is loaded compared to its thin nature last season, but when afforded an opportunity in Cup action, Ryan Gravenberch has been sensational.
The 21-year-old shredded Toulouse in 70 minutes of Europa League action last week, and it earned him a starting spot over the weekend against Nottingham Forest. He doesn't shoot often, but when he goes for goal, it's often in very good positions, with a whopping 2.37 xG on just 11 shots through his 422 minutes of Premier League and Europa League action so far, coming out to about 0.215 xG per shot, an exceptional total. That's even better when you consider he's turning those 2.37 xG into 3.27 xGOT, finishing at an extremely high rate.
Given that Gravenberch's performances have now seen him start to squeeze into the regular starting lineup, it's worth waiting to play this until he's been confirmed as part of the squad, but it would be quite the reversal if he were to be rested here given his prolific nature in Cup matches.
