"We are about to find out" - Chris Sutton makes interesting prediction for Bournemouth vs Liverpool
Footballer-turned-pundit Chris Sutton recently predicted a comfortable 2-0 win for Liverpool in their upcoming Premier League game against Bournemouth on Saturday, March 11.
Sutton believes the 7-0 demolition of Manchester United has filled the Reds with the confidence required to get their season back on track. The Reds travel to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth on Saturday, March 11.
In his column for the BBC, while predicting a 2-0 win for Liverpool against Bournemouth, Chris Sutton wrote:
"The great debate now, of course, after Jurgen Klopp's side walloped Manchester United, is 'are Liverpool back?' Is this the turning point for them, not to go and rescue their tie with Madrid, but to really push on to finish in the top four? We are about to find out.
"This is Liverpool's final league game in March, and they begin April by playing Manchester City and Chelsea (both away) and then Arsenal (at home) in the space of eight days. They really cannot afford any slip-ups on the south coast before then.
"It's going to be almost impossible for them to turn things around in Madrid on Wednesday, but their focus can't be on that anyway - they just have to concentrate on getting a win here. So, it is going to be interesting to see what team Klopp puts out. If you are a Reds fan, you are thinking he should go with the same line-up that he went with against Manchester United."
"The most important aspects of Sunday were the performances of Cody Gakpo, who showed what a brilliant finisher he is, and Darwin Nunez, who has had a difficult season and has not always taken his chances," Sutton added.
"If they play like they did in the second half against United, then they will definitely beat Bournemouth, but I don't think they will be racking up the goals again," he continued. "I watched the Cherries against Arsenal and they defended deep and made it difficult for the leaders to get through them, but they carried a threat too."
Chris Sutton also reiterated that Bournemouth will give a tough fight against Liverpool, saying:
"At the start of the season, I had Bournemouth down as being relegated, and then I thought the wheels had come off with the way they restarted the campaign after the World Cup. But they have shown enough in recent games to give themselves a chance of staying up. I think they will lose on Saturday, but it won't be without a fight."
Chris Sutton surprised to learn that Liverpool have kept five consecutive Premier League clean sheets
Chris Sutton was also 'surprised' to learn that Liverpool have kept five consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League, which signals some improvement.
"I was surprised to see that Liverpool have kept five clean sheets in a row in the Premier League," Chris Sutton said on BBC.
"Yes, they lost 5-2 at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League in the middle of that run, but it is still an important sign of some progress for Jurgen Klopp's side, after all their problems at the back this season," he added.
The Reds are currently fifth in the Premier League table with 42 points after 25 matches, three points off fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand.