Liverpool FC v AFC BournemouthAnfieldKick Off: 15:00Referee: Anthony TaylorAssistants: Gary Beswick, Adam NunnFourth official: Mike DeanSeems like it was only yesterday I wrote an opening post for the pre-match game against Manchester City. Hope and courage were both peaking high. Unlike most years before we have steamrolled December into submission like nobody's business. Etihad was the place to go and in a familiar swift flurry confirm we really, really, really mean business this time. In a sense we both managed and failed to do just that. We meant business and gave City a game where they worked to the bone to even stay close. Finest of margins meant they in the end came away with three points. We could be proud of the effort but also had nothing to show for it. It's strange how fine the margins seem in hindsight. Seasons can almost feel scripted for dramatic effect - but they really aren't. Future always remains unwritten, no matter how hard you choose to colour it with either hope or despair. If we allow ourselves to collectively snap out from under this heavy burden of expectations, this parade of grinding teeth and remove our gaze from fearfully observing the landscape of games ahead - we'll see what's actually in front of us - a blank canvas. So let’s try and look ahead without trepidation and colouring this match too much with ghosts of games we recently played. Bournemouth are in many ways the perfect opponent we could play at this moment. No need for the 'do or die' fatalistic calls. Save those for when real pressure arrives.It's unescapable to a point.We are in the thick of it all. Level on points, behind on goal difference, game in hand - you know it all. We're coming not so hot on the heal of two games collectively summarised by most as 'points lost'. The thing is, we don't really know that. Both points we have won could easily prove to be very valuable in the end. It's also hard (or so I hope) to see us having quite another injury ravaged period as this one. Some of the boys look likely to return, namely Henderson, Trent and Gini but also we've had another week to shake off the Dubai blues and find new ways to hurt opposition. So yes, call me hopeful. I'm refusing to follow the 'crisis' narrative. We don't want to build up that attitude of being under pressure and forcing things - we need to take a step back and revert to that confident machine that was grinding teams down without ever feeling rushed or worried. At least now - we have players available to do it. Bournemouth don't travel well. At all. They are picking up points at an alarmingly low rate away from home and are quite prone to high score defeats at the hands of league topping clubs and Manchester United. There is a flipside - this happens because they are always up for a proper fight and they want to attack teams - even ones obviously well equipped to hurt them. So a sucker punch or two are not out of the question, we'll need to play a properly good defensive game to secure a clean sheet. I really don't mind watching them play. Wilson and Fraser are a great, dynamic duo and their work rate and never-say-die attitude make for interesting games. But really, their defence is nowhere near ones we have faced recently. They know it, we know it and know how to exploit it. I'll close this again with a small appeal for everyone to try and detach this game from several previous ones.What's done is done - and it's partially done because we've all slightly forgot to enjoy these incredible, record breaking, once in a generation team of reds. They know what needs to be done, relax and enjoy the ride, starting on Saturday when they run out onto that blank green canvas on Anfield.
Whatever you do, don't let Jason off comms. He's a lucky talisman so far.Staple him to his chair if you have to.
Come on Dutch Red, let's have an early goal to finish off the game.
Obliged! Deep ball to Firmino who neatly backheels it to Salah: 3-0 the Reds with the 49th league goal for the Egyptian King in a Liverpool kit!
