Liverpool is preparing for a pivotal round of Premier League football. First up is a Champions League clash against PSV, but the real stakes come at the weekend — when Arsenal takes on Manchester City after the Reds have travelled to face Andoni Iraola's in-form Bournemouth side.
Five things we learned from the Premier League weekend, featuring Andoni Iraola, toxicity at Tottenham, and Villa’s need for signings.Andoni Iraola admirers growing with each weekBournemouth’s
Jeff Hayward from the Back of the Net podcast says Bournemouth fans "have never had it so good" and are enjoying "the best season ever". The Cherries are seventh in the Premier League table after accumulating 40 points from 21 games and are just one point behind Manchester City in fourth.
Bournemouth extended their longest unbeaten run in the Premier League to 11 games with a thrilling display against third-placed Forest that maintained their momentum in their bid to qualify for Europe for the first time. It was chosen as the most impressive win by Premier League fans on our new WhatsApp channel.
Bournemouth’s head coach has a philosophy that centres around making life incredibly uncomfortable for their opponents. Iraola instructs his players to mark man-to-man all over the pitch, and he will send them forward in packs to hunt for turnovers.
There wasn't much positive team news from Iraola, who still has eight players ruled out through injury: "Marcus Tavernier is the only player who has started training with the group but I don't know if we are going to have him tomorrow. We will have to decide."
Nottingham Forest have grabbed most of the limelight as the Premier League's big over-achievers this season but Bournemouth's rise to top-four contenders is equally remarkable.