Match Preview: Latest team news on enticing Carabao Cup tie between Bournemouth and Liverpool

Liverpool travel to the south coast to face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium tonight for an enticing Carabao Cup Round of 16 clash.

The Cherries are engaged in a relegation battle whereas Liverpool are competing at the top end of the table, however, Jurgen Klopp will be warning the side he selects to avoid complacency and to respect their hosts this evening.

Changes are expected to be made to the Liverpool side that beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 on Sunday. The depth in the squad will ensure that whichever starting XI is chosen is packed with quality.

It will be interesting to see if Mohamed Salah starts or is rested after his stunning start to the season has yielded ten goals and four assists in all competitions.

The Reds have an important run of fixtures coming up that could see them rise to the top of the Premier League.

But this evening, Liverpool have the chance to take the next step in the Carabao Cup and have a close to full strength team to call on.

Liverpool team news 

Curtis Jones is eligible to face Bournemouth this evening, Liverpool confirm via the official club website after Pep Lijnders addressed the media.

The assistant manager tends to take media duties for the domestic competitions and he reported on the latest squad news ahead of tonight's cup tie.

Speaking on young Ben Doak, he said: "He trained yesterday. Let's see [if he can be in the squad]. He trained yesterday [for] the first time, not completely but he trained."

Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson all remain unavailable due to injury.

On their injuries, Lijnders told the media: "Conor is not in team training but he is getting really close, he is with the ball, he is doing all these things with [Andreas] Schlumberger and that looks promising.

"It will be great to have him back because we know that he can be a really attacking threat on our right side.

"Robbo speaks for itself – he had his operation and that all went to plan. He is one of our captains, so that says I think enough.

"And with Stefan, he's not available at the moment and we're working with the medical team to discuss how we introduce him over the coming period.

"We really miss [Thiago] but that will take time, he will not be available. He is an unbelievable professional and an unbelievable guy. We hope to get him back soon."

The full fixture list for the Carabao Cup Round of 16 2023

Six games remain in the 2023 Carabao Cup Round of 16 after Port Vale and Middlesbrough advanced to the quarter finals with respective wins over Mansfield Town and Exeter City on Tuesday evening.

Klopp's team are heavy favourites to beat the Cherries tonight but the Reds, being one of the most successful cup teams in history, will be aware of the danger any side poses in a knockout tournament.

The remaining games will be played this evening. If Liverpool secure a win they will progress to the quarter final which is scheduled to be played, pending confirmation, on 18 December.