Andoni Iraola will return to Vitality Stadium on Sunday when his Liverpool side take on former club Bournemouth in their final Premier League match before the international break.
Liverpool sit eighth with six points from four games (W1, D3), while Bournemouth are 15th with three points and are still searching for their first league victory.
Iraola has made a decent start to his Liverpool career, winning three of his first six matches. His latest success came on Tuesday, when the Reds defeated Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in the League Cup.
However, failing to beat his former employers could increase pressure on him and frustrate supporters ahead of the international break.
Liverpool have kept two clean sheets and scored seven goals in their last four games. Even with their midfield issues, fans will expect Iraola’s side to brush Bournemouth aside.
The Reds have won six of their last seven meetings with Bournemouth. However, their most recent visit to the Vitality ended in a 3-2 defeat in January.
Inflicting similar damage on his former employers will boost Iraola’s popularity among fans hoping to take more than one league victory into the international break.
How Liverpool could line up
Iraola is expected to make several changes to the side that picked Spurs apart in midweek, with Alisson set to return between the sticks.
Ronald Araujo could be deployed as a makeshift right-back with Milos Kerkez on the other flank while Jeremy Jacquet and Virgil van Dijk feature in the heart of the backline.
Dominik Szoboszlai could partner Alexis Mac Allister in midfield while Bradley Barcola returns to join Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz in a multi-million-pound-looking frontline behind Alexander Isak.
Barcola notched 20 goal contributions for Paris Saint-Germain last season and will hope to open his account for Liverpool later today.
Predicted Liverpool starting XI
(4-2-3-1): Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Gakpo, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak.
