Debuts abound for Liverpool in their first starting XI of the Premier League season, with Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, and Hugo Ekitike all set to play their first League minutes.
The reigning champions welcome the Cherries to Anfield looking to bounce back from defeat against Crystal Palace in the season’s traditional curtain-raiser last weekend.
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It’s in the middle of the park where Arne Slot tweaks the XI that started at Wembley with Ballon d’Or nominee Alexis Mac Allister ready to start after a 20-minute cameo in the Community Shield.
Slot revealed ahead of the game that he could rotate his midfield following Ryan Gravenberch’s suspension: “The midfield might be our strongest line when it comes to the bodies we have. Unfortunately, [Mac Allister] had a bid of a different pre-season, but he is back now. I still have a choice to make in midfield.”
Mac Allister partners Dominik Szoboszlai at the expense of Curtis Jones.
Joe Gomez comes back into the fold following a minor injury, making the bench. Slot said of his fitness: “Joe, I have to make a decision on that. He missed a lot of pre-season, trained twice, but the Palace game, two teenagers, so there is a possibility he might be on the bench."
Elsewhere, summer signings Ekitike, Wirtz, Frimpong and Kerkez all make their Premier League debuts for Liverpool, with the latter set to face his former club.
Kerkez and Frimpong pip Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson to starting berths.
Ekitike is joined in attack by Mohamed Salah - who is hunting a league-record extending 10th opening day goal and 14th direct goal involvement - and Cody Gakpo in an unchanged front three, with Wirtz pulling the strings behind them at the tip of a midfield trio.
Liverpool starting XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Wirtz, Salah, Gakpo, Ekitike
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha
Injured: Bradley
Suspended: Gravenberch
Time and date: 8pm BST on Friday, August 15, 2025
Venue: Anfield
How to watch: Sky Sports
