Bournemouth will likely set up in their usual 4-2-3-1, but without Tyler Adams screening the back four, that double pivot looks vulnerable. Rose will probably ask his full-backs to stay disciplined and his wingers to tuck in, creating a compact block designed to frustrate. The problem is that Liverpool's 4-3-3 is built to pull that block apart. Wirtz drifting into the half-spaces, the wide forwards hugging the touchline to stretch the pitch, and the full-backs overlapping — it is a classic pressing trap. Bournemouth will try to spring counter-attacks through the middle, but with Kroupi and Adli missing, the out-ball lacks bite.

The midfield dogfight is where this game is won. Liverpool's engine room, likely anchored by a disciplined holder and powered by Wirtz's late runs, should dominate possession. Bournemouth will be forced into second-ball scrambles, and that is not a sustainable way to live against a side of this quality. Set-pieces are Bournemouth's best hope — van Dijk's presence in the air cuts both ways, but the Cherries have shown they can cause problems from dead balls. Still, the expected game state is Liverpool with the ball, Bournemouth chasing shadows.