Defending the title is very hard. on Friday night Liverpool is facing Bournemouth to start the 2025/26 season. Crystal Palace proved to us at Wembley yesterday that it not going to be a walkover. After Bournemouth Liverpool away to Newcastle and after that home to Arsenal. Very tough start, Referee is yet to be appointed for this game. The 2025/2026 football season will see several changes and new appointments for match officials. Six new referees, Lewis Smith, Farai Hallam, Adam Herczeg, Tom Kirk, Ruebyn Ricardo, and Ben Toner, are joining the PGMO's supplementary list for the Select Group 1, which covers both the Premier League and EFL, according to the Premier League. Additionally, FIFA referees Mel Burgin and Emily Heaslip, along with assistant referees Matt Joyce, David Middleton, and Joseph Karram, will officiate in the EFL and National League. Referees Harrison Blair, Declan Brown, George Laflin, Lewis Sandoe, Matt Scholes, and Gareth Thomas will also be stepping up into roles across the National League and EFL. The season will also see the introduction of a new Puma referee range. Game: Liverpool v Bournemouth Date: Friday 15th August Stadium. Anfield. Time: 2000 TV. Sky Sports Main Event. Andy Dunn's predictions Champions: Liverpool Rest of the top four: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City Relegated: West Ham, Burnley, Sunderland Surprise package: Tottenham Biggest disappointment: Erling Haaland Best new signing: Florian Wirtz Top goalscorer: Mo Salah Player of the year: Cole Palmer Young Player of the year: Ethan Nwaneri Premier League predictions: Liverpool and Arsenal title race, top four, relegation debated - The Mirror
The season isn't over in one game... But I do think it's important to start strongly. I will be disappointed if we don't get three points. I recognize team still gelling and not all put together yet, but a title challenge should mean 3pts against Bournemouth.
Bournemouth will have a completely different back line and keeper than last year but still a dangerous side going forward. Kluivert Semenyo Evanlison were good value last year. Do wonder how Semenyo will be this year. Was lots and lots of talk of going to lfc, United and spurs but no one seemed to have made a move. Feel Friday night, opening game, Anfield we should have too much with the team also keen to right the poor performance from yesterday. Expect us to look very dangerous going forward but be open to the counter. Prediction 3-1
This would be ideal! Very capable too, we really were playing some nice stuff first half yesterday and Palace were one of the top form teams end of last season. Fitness is the issue, and still seem to have this ‘just pop it about now’ attitude when holding a slender lead. Gets us in all sorts of ****. Just keep going at them
We need to get macallister fit so give him the half and sub for whoever if you need to but you should be stretching to 60mins now. Once gravenberch is available then you can work the two 8s but you can't run gravenberch into the ground again.
Hope Salah turns up, he was dire in the Community Shield game. It appears he can never be substituted until 85 minutes and never starts on the bench.
Salah and VVD were, both players we've chucked money at the convince to stay rather than leave for free. Hopefully, it's a motivational thing with it only being a glorified friendly. Or maybe they believe in jinxes and purposely lost
Look, salah could have been distracted by other things but watching him.v betis as well and he was not good. The first games of preseason he looked really good. Vvd talked about it too but at their age they have to just play to keep going.
So much was going through Ekitike and Wirtz at the start, and Salah was a bit peripheral. Still, he had an off day for sure, but he'll be back.
I also felt gakpo was disjointed from them. He either wasn't very interested in passing it or he just wasn't on the wavelength to play like them in turning and one touch etc.
Does love a cut back in and run to see if theres any chance of a hoof at goal. He ignored both kerkez and Ekitike quite a few times.
Referee is Anthony Taylor. please log in to view this image A Premier League referee who made an error on the final day of last season will be on the officiating team for Liverpool's opening Premier League match against Bournemouth. Thomas Bramall made a call during Aston Villa's clash with Manchester United that ended up having an impact on the battle for Champions League qualification. Anthony Taylor has been confirmed as the referee when Liverpool get their title defence underway on Friday night. Helping him will be assistants Gary Beswick and Craig Taylor, fourth official Farai Hallam, video assistant referee (VAR) Michael Oliver and finally assistant VAR Bramall. It was less than three months ago when Bramall took charge of a final-day clash at Old Trafford and made a decision that is set to have repercussions on the season ahead.
Taylor? Guaranteed to give 3 corners off alisson by quick counting. Will not give another corner all season..
SKY SPORTS PREDICTION: Expect end-to-end football, counter-attacks from both teams in a league that is now a fast-break central, and a few defensive wobbles to crank up the tension. Liverpool are going to take a few weeks to gain cohesion and chemistry across their new-look backline. This opens the door for Bournemouth to add to the scoring, so Liverpool to win and both teams to score at 6/4 with Sky Bet should go clos SCORE PREDICTION: 4-2
