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Why Federico Chiesa and Joe Gomez miss out as Liverpool handed double injury boost for Bournemouth

Federico Chiesa of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 match between Liverpool FC and LOSC Lille at Anfield on January 21, 2025 in Liverpool, England.
-Credit:Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images


Liverpool named an extremely strong matchday squad for Saturday's trip to Bournemouth, so much so that there was no room for Joe Gomez and Federico Chiesa to even be named on the bench.

Arne Slot made nine changes to his starting XI from the team that began the midweek defeat at PSV Eindhoven, and selected the same side that comfortably dispatched Ipswich Town last week. But with nine players coming back into the team, there was no room for Gomez and Chiesa in the squad at all, both of whom were fit to play on the south coast.

For Gomez, it's perhaps not a surprise given he only returned to training this week and has not played since December due to a hamstring injury, but for Chiesa, it's a devastating selection just days after he made his first 90 minute appearance for the club.

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The Italian impressed against PSV, setting up both Liverpool goals and earning praise from Slot afterwards. The Liverpool boss then said in his pre-Bournemouth press conference that Chiesa is ready to play more minutes, before giving a slight foresight of Saturday's omission.

"His main problem is he is in competition with Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota. I think you’ll agree with me that they are doing quite well also."

There was, however, more positive news in Saturday's team selection with Curtis Jones, Jota and Nunez all included among the substitutes after the trio missed the midweek trip to the Netherlands through injury and illness.

Jones has missed the last two matches following a knock he sustained last week against Lille, while Jota has been unavailable for the last five matches. Nunez would likely have played in midweek had he not been suffering from illness, but has recovered in time for the trip to Bournemouth.

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Curtis Jones was a surprise inclusion on the bench against Bournemouth. -Credit:Getty Images

Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Salah and Diaz all returned to the side at the Vitality, with Andy Robertson and Cody Gakpo the only players to retain their starting berth from Wednesday night.

The impressive substitutes' bench included: Caoimhin Kelleher, Connor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, Kostas Tsimikas, Wataru Endo, Jones, Harvey Elliott, Darwin Nunez and Jota.