Follow live coverage as AFC Bournemouth face Liverpool today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
AFC Bournemouth 0 - 2 Liverpool FC
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
17:07Liverpool end Bournemouth's 11-game unbeaten run and go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a solid 2-0 away victory. Salah notched the first of a fine brace from the spot just after the half-hour mark. His bullet penalty into the bottom-right corner for goal number 20 this season, followed a Cook foul on Gakpo. It was nearly cancelled out in rapid fashion, but Brooks' strike was chalked off in the 38th minute due to a Kerkez offside in the build-up. In the second 45 minutes, Kluivert missed a golden opportunity to draw level. He could only fire off-target with the goal at his mercy following Tavernier's strike off the left post. Slot's travelling side punished this blunder just five minutes later with a devilish counter-attack that saw Jones play in Salah on the right. The latter then cut in and curled a beautiful trademark strike across goal with Kepa rooted. In a frustrating day for the Dorset club, Bournemouth underperformed their 1.00 xG, while Liverpool made the most of their chances and 2.66 xG. Thank you for joining us today, catch you in the next one!
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:59FULL-TIME: BOURNEMOUTH 0-2 LIVERPOOL
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:59Tavernier dispossesses Jones at a drop-ball and then shoots from the edge of the box while slipping. It flies way over.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:59Alisson pulls out a great stop down to his right! Semenyo drives to the left byline and squares it. It's off a Liverpool body and the Brazilian has to scoop it out of the bottom-right corner!
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:54There will be five minutes of added time here.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:54Bradley tracks Semenyo on the left wing and ushers the forward out of play for a goal-kick.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:50Brace-grabbing Salah makes way after another fine day at the office. He is replaced by Wataru Endo to help see out the final moments.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:50Running on to a Salah pull-back, Szoboszlai floats over a ball for Jones to attack in the air. However, the header is poor and wide right.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:49Semenyo tries to stride away down the left wing, yet Gravenberch steps in front of him. Play stops for a short while as the Dutchman is down holding his hip.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:48Semenyo flashes an effort wide of Alisson's right post! He had the power but was just missing the placement!
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:45Bournemouth try and get down the left side of the Liverpool defence but Alisson is wise to the danger and slides out to collect.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:42Iraola brings off Christie for Daniel Jebbison as Bournemouth focus on getting something back in this game.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:42Kerkez wins a free-kick on the far touchline. The resulting delivery from Tavernier is poor and Liverpool can try and clear. It doesn't go far and Bournemouth keep the pressure up before Tavernier gives away a foul.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:42Bournemouth just haven't been clinical enough today. That Kluivert miss is seeming ever more important as the minutes tick by...
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:37Assist Curtis Julian Jones
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:37Goal Mohamed Salah Hamed Mahrous Ghaly
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:35Work from Bradley on the right earns Liverpool a corner. It's initially cleared before Van Dijk wins another corner on the other side off Tavernier.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:35Tavernier off the post! Kluivert misses the rebound! Tavernier cuts in from the right and bends one off the left post. The ball then falls favourably for Kluivert, but the Dutchman misses the open goal!
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:31Substitution Trent John Alexander-Arnold Conor Bradley
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:31Substitution Cody Mathès Gakpo Darwin Gabriel Núñez Ribeiro
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:30Cook fouls Gakpo in the middle and now looks to hold his right hamstring. Alexander-Arnold is also down.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:28Van Dijk slams into Ouattara with a devious body-check, and after a brief lull in the play and boos from the crowd, the referee decides to go back and book the Liverpool captain.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:28Substitution David Robert Brooks Marcus Joseph Tavernier
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:28After a Liverpool free-kick on the right comes to nothing, Kerkez tries to bring it forward. He loses possession and Gakpo is picked out up front. However, up goes the flag for offside.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:25Ouattara peels away from Jones, yet much to the crowd's disdain, England pulls the play back for a foul on the Liverpool midfielder in the 50-50.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:24Mac Allister is swapped out for Curtis Jones to stop the Argentinian getting a second booking.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:22Ouattara crosses from the right and there's no one in there for the Cherries. Alexander-Arnold controls the ball and the fans scream for a penalty. They want a penalty decision. VAR have a look and find nothing incriminating.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:20Liverpool have a corner on the left that Alexander-Arnold will take. It goes short for Szoboszlai and Ouattara heads away. A couple of further deliveries come in and see Brooks poke the ball away from Mac Allister as he follows through on the dropping ball. There are calls for the Argentine's dismissal, yet the referee gives him a final warning.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:18Huijsen is the next to enter the bookings list after pulling back Diaz as he looked to spark a counter.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:17Ouattara looks like beating Mac Allister for pace after jinking away from one man. The ball goes round the Argentinian, but the man doesn't. The bodycheck earns a yellow card for Liverpool's number 10.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:16Bournemouth get another free-kick as the game is getting a bit scrappy. However, the Cherries can't use it and float the ball out for a goal-kick.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:16Semenyo! Alisson saves down low! Bournemouth work into the Liverpool box excellently as Christie slides in Semenyo in the left channel. His first touch could be better and allows Alisson the time to rush out and block his eventual poke on goal.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:11Gravenberch is the next in the book as he shoves a surging Kerkez in the back.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:10Kluivert volleys and Konate blocks inside the box! Ouattara and Cook link up well on the right, with the Burkinabe man then supplying a great cross for Kluivert. The playmaker fires, yet Konate is in the right place at the right time.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:10Yellow Card Ryan Christie
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:08We resume the action for the second half.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
16:02While Bournemouth have looked promising in the midfield and out wide, their attacks have been relatively hit-and-miss. They are more than capable of causing Liverpool problems, yet will have to create better chances than their 0.18 xG suggests. The visitors have an xG of 1.93 and will no doubt be rueing not testing Kepa a little harder than what they have before. As per the Opta supercomputer, Bournemouth have a 7.4% chance of victory. A draw sits at 17.5%, while Liverpool have a 75.0% chance of seeing the result out.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:58Half-time at the Vitality Stadium sees table-topping Liverpool with their noses in front. Leading Bournemouth 1-0, Arne Slot's travelling side had Salah to thank, as he stepped up on the half-hour mark to send a bullet of a penalty into the bottom-right corner following a Cook foul on Gakpo. That was the Egyptian's 20th strike of the season, yet it was nearly cancelled out in less than 10 minutes, as Bournemouth found the net in the 38th minute. Semenyo was high on the left and found Kerkez on the outside overlap before the ball back across found Brooks to power home brilliantly. With Kerkez offside, it was chalked off after VAR intervention, but the hosts can still feel like active participants in this heavyweight bout.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:52HALF-TIME: BOURNEMOUTH 0-1 LIVERPOOL
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:51Gravenberch has a wild effort on goal from the right, yet it's blazed off-target.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:47There will be five minutes of stoppage time.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:45After initially giving the ball away on the edge of his own box, Semenyo makes up for it by putting Szoboszlai off as he shoots in the box. It's lashed wide in wild fashion.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:44Diaz looks for Salah in behind on the right and Kepa flies out to beat the winger to the punch and clear. Great awareness.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:42Salah hits an elegant trivela cross with his left foot. It's hung up lovely in the centre of the box for Alexander-Arnold to run onto, but the right-back can't muster enough power with the header to trouble Kepa.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:41NO GOAL! Brooks smashes a super finish into the bottom-left corner after Kerkez slides across a great ball. However, the flag is up for offside straight away. VAR get the lines out to see the Hungarian's positioning on the overlap with Semenyo. He's comfortably offside. That's unfortunate.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:40Ouattara has the chance to slide through Kluivert, but Van Dijk is stride for stride with his countryman and deals with the threat.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:34Robertson floats in a lovely ball for Diaz to nod at Kepa. However, the flag is up straight away on the creeping Colombian's run.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:33That penalty was just the eighth goal that Bournemouth have conceded at home this term.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:31Penalty Goal Mohamed Salah Hamed Mahrous Ghaly
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:31PENALTY! Gakpo drives down the left-central channel and chases a bouncing ball from Robertson. Cook tracks back and clears but the Dutchman is down under slight contact and England points to the spot!
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:28Huijsen challenges Salah heavily as the winger pokes it away from him. It looks like a foul, but Brooks got chopped down just seconds before. Darren England is perhaps letting the game flow.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:26The visitors keep their offensive presence up, but this time, the move ends with a dribbling shot from Salah. It's an easy claim for Kepa.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:25Liverpool move quickly and Szoboszlai is slipped into the right of the box. He powers low on goal and Kepa saves!
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:25Alexander-Arnold makes a hash of a hooked clearance and Semenyo is pressing, forcing Konate to nod out.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:23Semenyo! It's off the left post! The striker cuts away from Alexander-Arnold and Konate inside the box to fire from about eight yards out. Alisson can only watch as it pings away. He was just a bystander!
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:22Cook is back on now with some cotton buds plugging his nose.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:19Cook has a bloody nose here. It looks like a stray arm from that Gakpo shot has caught him. The referee orders him to get off the pitch and get tended to.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:19Gakpo wrestles inside of Cook and comes off the left wing to shoot low and hard at Kepa's goal from outside the box. The Spaniard gets behind it well.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:19Liverpool are starting to show some real offensive intent now. Salah, Szoboszlai and Diaz all get on the ball, yet the hosts are stubborn in their own box and don't let them find a way through. Salah then tries a cross but Zubarnyi heads away.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:17Kluivert forces a parry from Alisson at the left post! Cook and Brooks play round the Liverpool press with supreme coolness. It's then crossed over and Alexander-Arnold heads up inexplicably and Kluivert gets the ball down and drives to the byline before shooting at a tight angle. Alisson saves and then deals with the subsequent corner well.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:14Semenyo hits the ball at Salah and he runs away from the Cherries striker. He looks to cut inside Huijsen, but Semenyo has done excellently to track back and get the ball back under control.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:12The first 10 minutes have reflected an even contest so far. Both sides have great pace and athleticism in their ranks and, of course, find themselves in top form. It's just a matter of who blinks first...
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:11After Semenyo gives the ball away high on the left, Diaz plays Salah on Liverpool's right. Huijsen tackles through the Egyptian and shoves him away to give away a naive foul.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:11Adams traipses off for the moment and Liverpool resume play from a throw with Alexander-Arnold after Kerkez's clearance.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:06Mac Allister links up with Salah and drives to the right byline. He clashes with Adams and there's a brief stoppage as the American requires treatment for what looks like a bloody mouth.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:04Liverpool win a corner on the left as this game bursts into life quickly. Robertson takes and a skirmish inside the box sees the ball loop up. After Mac Allister goes for an optimistic bicycle kick, Adams is down and wins a free-kick.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:02Bournemouth nick the ball early and inside 10 seconds, Semenyo cuts onto his right foot to shoot low at Alisson! A early warning sign...
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:02And we're off!
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:01The captains of Cook and Van Dijk meet for the coin toss in the middle as the pre-match excitement reaches new levels at this intimate ground. It looks like the visitors will get us off and underway, kicking from left to right.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
15:00Darren England is the man in the middle today. He is in for his 15th game in all competitions. His last Premier League outing saw him officiate Everton's 3-2 win over Tottenham. He leads the players out of the tunnel and onto the turf at the Vitality Stadium to a great reception. This should be an excellent game. Bournemouth (unbeaten in 11) and Liverpool (unbeaten in 18) account for two of the three longest ongoing unbeaten runs in the Premier League (Arsenal also 13 without defeat). Indeed, since the start of MD13 (29th November), no side has won more Premier League points than the Cherries (25 – W7 D4 L0).
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
14:55Liverpool return to their strongest side after they were able to make widespread changes and rest most of their first team for the 3-2 Champions League loss at PSV Eindhoven in midweek. Only Andy Robertson and Cody Gakpo featured in the Netherlands as Arne Slot names the same side that began the Reds' last Premier League match, the 4-1 win over Ipswich Town seven days ago.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
14:55Andoni Iraola names the same XI that battered Nottingham Forest 5-0 last time out.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
14:55SUBS: Caoimhin Kelleher, Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
14:49LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister; Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo; Luis Diaz.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
14:49SUBS: Will Dennis, Matai Akinmboni, Maxwell Kinsey-Wellings, Zain Silcott-Duberry, Ben Winterburn, Daniel Adu-Adjei, Daniel Jebbison, Marcus Tavernier, Remy Rees-Dottin.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
14:49BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1): Kepa Arrizabalaga; Lewis Cook, Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Christie, Tyler Adams; David Brooks, Justin Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo; Dango Ouattara.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
14:34Hello everyone, and welcome to live text coverage involving two of the Premier League's exciting form teams. It's Bournemouth v Liverpool at the Vitality Stadium.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
14:34Liverpool’s title credentials stand another test today, as they face a fun-to-watch Bournemouth side at the Vitality. Arne Slot's team return to domestic duty on the back of a 3-2 Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven, while their hosts were also involved in a five-goal thriller last time out, albeit one where they struck five past Nottingham Forest without reply. A much-changed Reds tasted defeat for the first time in European competition this season, although their last-16 spot had already been sealed before the final matchday. Last time out in Premier League action, they beat Ipswich Town 4-1 at Anfield. Unbeaten in 12 games across all competitions - including their last 11 in the Premier League - seventh-placed Bournemouth's total of 25 points since the end of November is more than any other team in the division. The Cherries are also aiming to keep their fourth straight top-flight clean sheet at home on Saturday.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
AFC Bournemouth vs Liverpool
13:00Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
