Liverpool team news v Bournemouth: Ekitike drops out as Salah makes first PL start in two months

The Liverpool starting line-up to take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday evening has been confirmed.

After a morale-boosting 3-0 victory away to Marseille in midweek, the Reds go in search of an overdue Premier League victory away to Andoni Iraola’s Cherries, who’ve been scoring and conceding plenty in recent matches.

Having returned to club action on Wednesday, Mo Salah is set to make his first top-flight start in two months this evening as he seeks a first league goal for LFC since netting against Aston Villa in early November.

With the four teams immediately behind them in the table not playing until tomorrow, Liverpool have the chance to extend the gap on their nearest pursuers to four points overnight if they can do the double on Bournemouth for the third season in a row.

Liverpool starting XI to face Bournemouth

Slot has made just the one change from the side which started the victory in Marseille.

Alisson Becker is in goal yet again, with an unchanged back four of Jeremie Frimpong, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Milos Kerkez (making his first return to Bournemouth since leaving for Anfield last summer) ahead of him.

Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister continue their partnership in midfield, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz also in from the start again. Salah is kept in the starting XI (as Paul Merson had called for), but perhaps surprisingly, Hugo Ekitike drops to the bench, with Cody Gakpo coming for him in attack.

Having been injured in the warm-up before the game against Marseille, Federico Chiesa isn’t in the matchday squad today. Nor is Ibrahima Konate, who remains on compassionate leave following the death of his father this week. Andy Robertson is on the bench, though, amid increasing speculation that he could leave for Tottenham Hotspur.

You can view the Liverpool starting XI and substitutes below, via @LFC on X:

Team news in IN #BOULIV

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 24, 2026

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