Liverpool vs Bournemouth: Reds Aim to Extend Dominance in Season Opener

LIVERPOOL and Bournemouth lift the lid on the 2025/26 Premier League season when they lock horns under the lights at Anfield tonight.

SunSport betting experts have previewed the contest and selected the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners.

SunSport exclusive

Already have these accounts? Don't worry, we've got loads more terrific deals below!

And so it begins…

The 2025/26 Premier League season roars into life on Friday night as reigning champions Liverpool host Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth at Anfield.

The Reds are heavy favourites to get off to a flyer - and it’s no surprise, with 11 wins from their last 12 league meetings against the Cherries.

Furthermore, Liverpool haven’t lost their opening league game in any of the last 12 seasons, while in 33 Premier League campaigns, the defending champions have only lost the curtain-raiser three times.

Arne Slot's side - who are favourites to defend their title - have been active in the transfer market, spending over £250million on new recruits including Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez.

And the trio wasted no time in settling in with each registering a goal involvment in Sunday's penalty defeat to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley.

While the Reds were edged out on spot-kicks, Slot will take heart from the performance, with his new signings already looking sharp after valuable competitive minutes.

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing at the back end of last season.

After sealing the title in style with a 5-1 demolition of Spurs in April, Liverpool failed to win any of their final four Premier League games of the 2024/25 campaign.

Defensive frailties also linger. The Reds have gone 11 matches without a clean sheet in all competitions, with their last shutout coming way back in April against a relegated Leicester side.

As for Bournemouth, they arrive on Merseyside with more than a few question marks - despite a superb 9th-placed finish last season under Andoni Iraola.

The Spaniard has admitted the club will have to start from “zero” after losing a string of key defensive figures. Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez have all departed, while goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga joined Arsenal.

The Cherries will be desperate to hit the same heights as last season, but it could be a slow burner - especially with a shaky pre-season under their belt.

They were thumped 4-1 by Manchester United and then failed to score in back-to-back goalless outings against West Ham and Real Sociedad.

Odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Midnite offer

New season, new players - but Arne Slot’s Liverpool are expected to continue their dominant run in this fixture.

As mentioned, the Reds have won 11 of their last 12 Premier League meetings with Bournemouth and have significantly strengthened during the transfer window.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, have had a middling pre-season and will be without four of the back five that started when these sides last met in February.

That said, Liverpool have struggled defensively, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 games - so we’re backing a Liverpool win with both teams to score.

Liverpool vs Bournemouth

We’re backing Mohamed Salah to score a goal assisted by Florian Wirtz at 4/1 with William Hill.

Wirtz, who bagged 12 goals and 10 assists last season, was one of only six players across Europe’s big five leagues to hit double figures in both categories.

The German hit the ground running in Sunday's Community Shield, taking just four minutes to notch an assist in his first competitive appearance for Liverpool.

Hugo Ekitike was the beneficiary that day - but this Friday, don’t be surprised if Salah is on the receiving end, having scored more Premier League goals against Bournemouth (11) than any other player in history.

Terms and conditions

*Midnite: 18+ New customers only. Place a £5+ bet at min odds 1/1 (2.0) within 14 days of sign-up. Get £25 in Free Bets + 50 Free Spins, valid for 7 days on selected bets and games only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org

*William Hill. 18+. Play Safe. Online only. For new UK register customers using promo code G40. Deposit & place £10 cash single bet (min odds 1/2) on sportsbook (excl. Virtuals). Get £40 in Free Bets (4x£10), valid for sportsbook (excl. Virtuals), 7 days expiry, must use in full (£10 each). Not valid with deposits via PayPal, Neosurf, Paysafe, Apple Pay, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay or WH PLUS Card. One per customer. Full T&Cs apply. www.begambleaware.org

*New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply.

*BetMGM. New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware.org.

*talkSPORT BET. 18+ New Customers Only. Opt in, deposit and bet min £10+ (max £50) on any Football market (odds 1/1+) by 20:00 on 15/08/2025. Get up to £50 in Free Bets (min £10) for set markets, which expire in 7 days. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org. Please gamble responsibly.

*Parimatch. 18+ New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 on football (odds 2.00+) within 7 days. No cash-out. Get 4x£5 Free Bets for set markets and a £10 Slot Bonus for Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, to withdraw max £250. Rewards expire in 20 days. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly

*Tote. New customers online only. Valid with code B10G50 on registration. Bet min £/€10 at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £/€10 Win + £/€10 Place) within 7 days of registration. Receive £/€20 Tote Credit, £/€10 Sports Bet, 2 x £/€5 Sports Acca and 50 Free Spins. 7-day expiry. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool or sports bet added to the bet-slip. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org.Full T&Cs apply.

Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club .

A responsible gambler is someone who:

Read our guide on responsible gambling practices .

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.