Last season's Premier League champions Liverpool not only begin their title defence on Friday but have the honour of raising the curtain on the new campaign as they contest the first match of the 2025/26 season against Bournemouth on Friday at Anfield.
The Reds romped to an emphatic league championship last season, with Arne Slot capping off his first year in charge of the club with a famous trophy.
Yet still, the club committed to an expensive overhaul this summer, bringing in Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez while overseeing the departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez, and Luis Diaz in the process.
Bournemouth are heavily overhauled after a busy offseason as well, with a number of key players departing for big fees and needing replacements. It will be difficult for the Cherries to replicate their successful recent campaign, where they finished ninth in the table to the surprise of many.
MORE: Predicted lineups, team news, and latest injury updates ahead of Liverpool vs. Bournemouth
Liverpool vs. Bournemouth prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Liverpool (-320 on DraftKings)
- Score prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Bournemouth
Liverpool may still be working out some kinks having made big changes to the squad this offseason, especially up front, but they face a Bournemouth side that was picked clean this summer in the transfer market.
The Cherries lost numerous defenders, including Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, Ilia Zabarnyi to Paris Saint-Germain, and Kerkez to today's opponents Liverpool. They brought in replacements, but hitting the ground running against the defending Premier League champions will be difficult, and Liverpool should be well on their way to a strong start.
| DraftKings (USA) | |
| Liverpool win | -330 |
| Draw | +500 |
| Bournemouth win | +750 |
| Both teams to score | Y: -155 N: +120 |
| Over / Under 3.5 goals | O: -110 U: -115 |
| Liverpool -1.5 goals | -130 |
| Bournemouth +1.5 goals | -105 |
Liverpool vs. Bournemouth match facts
- Date: Friday, August 15, 2025
- Kickoff Time: 8 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 5 a.m. AEST (Aug. 16))
- Location: Anfield Stadium (Liverpool, England)
- Referee: Anthony Taylor, VAR: Michael Oliver
- Last meeting: Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool (Feb. 1, 2025 | Premier League)
MORE: A complete guide to betting on soccer in the United States
Liverpool vs. Bournemouth best bet
- Pick: Over 3.5 total goals
- Odds: -110 (DraftKings)
The market is ready for an entertaining start to the Premier League season, which is unfortunate because that's likely what will be on hand in this match. Everything in the lead-up to this game indicates a host of goals, and while we'd like to take both teams to score, the odds just aren't palatable enough, so we're forced instead to this high bar to clear.
Bournemouth's quality back line was sold off almost in its entirety this offseason, and they will be ripe for Liverpool's new-look attack to work its magic. Wirtz is a brilliant player, while Ekitike could be off to a strong start as well, and Frimpong had an excellent preseason after joining from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Cherries could also be prepared to add to this total, knowing Ryan Gravenberch is suspended for a red card at the end of last season, leaving the Liverpool midfield somewhat thin. There are goals in this game for both sides.
Liverpool vs. Bournemouth prop bet
- Pick: Jeremie Frimpong to score or assist a goal
- Odds: +120 on FanDuel
While there is absolutely no doubt that Frimpong will be playing a more traditional full-back role than the marauding wing-back position he enjoyed at Bayer Leverkusen, Slot is smarter than to strip the Dutchman of his best qualities.
Frimpong was used heavily in the attack in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, enjoying the attention that Mohammed Salah commands by overlapping down the right. He scored a goal on two shots and three touches in the opposition penalty area, while getting 57 touches to Salah's 26.
Expect him to be a key component of Liverpool's attack, especially given his chemistry with Wirtz having been teammates for years in Germany.