<p>The <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/united-kingdom/english-premier-league/english-premier-league-outrights-2025-26-9166519">2025/26 Premier League season</a> will begin on Saturday, with a 06:00 kick-off for fans in the AEST time zone.</p> <p>The season opener will feature Liverpool and Bournemouth, as Arne Slot’s side return to Anfield to begin the defence of the EPL title they won so convincingly last year.</p> <p>However, they’ll come up against Bournemouth, one of the teams that have been impressive in recent EPL seasons under Andoni Iraola since he joined the Cherries in July 2023 in controversial circumstances.</p> <h2>Liverpool vs Bournemouth Betting Preview</h2> <p>Saturday will likely be an emotional encounter for the hosts, with it being the first Premier League game for the team since the tragic death of player Diogo Jota. The club will also need to be in better shape than last Monday, when they were beaten in the FA Community Shield by Crystal Palace in a penalty shootout. It marked two consecutive defeats at Wembley.</p> <p>Still, the Premier League will be their focus, and they’ll come up against a team they have a very good record against. In the league last season, they did the double as they defeated the Cherries 3-0 at Anfield last September, while beating them 2-0 in the reverse fixture.</p> <p>While Mohamed Salah got both in their away win, all three goals in the home victory were scored by two players who are no longer with the club. Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich) got two, while Darwin Nunez (Al Hilal) scored the other.&nbsp;</p> <p>Still, they’ve added significant quality to their squad during the offseason, with individuals like Florian Wirtz, Hugo Etikite, and full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong all arriving.</p> <p>Iraola will be without some of his stars from last season, as his Bournemouth team has been raided. While Kerkez is set to play against his former club, the southern outfit has lost Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid) and may soon lose another centre-back in Illya Zabarnyi (PSG rumoured).</p> <p>Kepa Arrizabalaga returned to Chelsea after a successful loan spell, which saw Arsenal sign him. However, Iraola looked at the Blues for another option and have signed Djordje Petrovic to be between the sticks. Adrien Truffert has been signed to replace Kerkez.</p> <h2>Liverpool vs Bournemouth Betting Predictions</h2> <p>It’s hard to look beyond Liverpool and the latest <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/united-kingdom/english-premier-league/liverpool-v-bournemouth-9324976">Liverpool vs Bournemouth betting odds</a> support that view, with the Reds heavy favourites.</p> <p>Value can be found in the ‘Liverpool to win to Nil’ market. As mentioned, the last two matches finished with the champions keeping a clean sheet, while they are on a streak of three consecutive against the Cherries, who could be without Justin Kluivert as he nurses a calf injury.</p> <p>Mohamed Salah could be worth backing in the odds for ‘First Goalscorer’, too. He has been the first goal-scorer in each of Liverpool's last three EPL Week 1 home matches and will be looking to begin his charge to keep the Golden Boot once again after scoring 29 last season.</p>