We’ve got the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) headlines from Bournemouth v Liverpool in this Scout Notes article.
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SALAH INJURY LATEST
Jurgen Klopp offered a fresh injury update on Mohamed Salah (£13.1m) in the aftermath of Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Bournemouth.
The Egypt star was forced off with a muscle injury in the first half of the 2-2 draw with Ghana last week.
Klopp confirmed “the plan” is for Salah to receive treatment on Merseyside.
“That’s the plan. If that’s already decided 100% I don’t know, but that’s the plan. However long he is out, I think probably everybody sees that it makes sense that he is doing the rehab with us or with our people. That’s the plan, but if that’s now written in stone already, I don’t know.
“[I spoke with him] directly after [the game], pretty much the night it happened. Since then, he’s in contact with our doctor. The doc tells me the news, so I think he will be back.” – Jurgen Klopp
Egypt face Cape Verde on Monday and victory will guarantee qualification into the knockout stages.
Asked if Salah would go back to the tournament should his country reach the last-16, Klopp added:
“I’m not a doctor. I would say if Egypt qualify for the final and he is fit before the final then probably yes. Why not? That’s clear, it’s the tournament.
“Ivory Coast, I am sure it is a wonderful country, but we have no people from us there and their people have to take care of the players who are playing, so let’s see.” – Jurgen Klopp
The Egyptian Football Association later issued a statement of their own:
DARWIN + JOTA AT THE DOUBLE
As for the on-pitch action, Darwin Nunez (£7.4m) and Diogo Jota (£7.8m) both struck twice as Liverpool moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Jota also set up another and scooped up the maximum bonus after Darwin’s late yellow, resulting in a whopping 19-point haul for his small army of owners.
This season, Jota is averaging a Premier League goal every 111.4 minutes.
Among all FPL players (minimum 100 minutes), only Erling Haaland (£13.9m) and Callum Wilson (£7.8m) are scoring at a faster rate:
“It’s hard to explain, I try to be in the right place at the right time and that’s why I work.
“This kind of feeling, it just comes natural and that’s why I need to be there to help the team to score goals and make assists.” – Diogo Jota on his ability in front of goal
Jota and Darwin have now registered attacking returns in each of the last three Gameweeks.
Next up for Liverpool is Chelsea in Gameweek 22.
It’s a traditionally low-scoring affair – four of their last five meetings have ended goalless – but given the Reds’ goalscoring form, it’s hard not to see them troubling a Blues backline that has conceded 12 in their last five away outings.
Elsewhere, in the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.5m), Conor Bradley (£4.0m) was handed a Premier League debut and impressed, earning the assist for Jota’s second.
Klopp doesn’t think Curtis Jones’ (£4.9m) hamstring injury will be too much of a problem, meanwhile.
“We all hope [it’s OK], and Curtis as well. He felt a little bit, he had last week already a little bit but then nothing was there. Curtis, the very experienced player, thought ‘It’s 3-0, why should I risk it?’ – I hope that’s exactly how it was.” – Jurgen Klopp on Curtis Jones
“WE ARE REALLY THIN WITH THE FULL-BACKS”
Even though Bournemouth were heavily beaten on Sunday, they still played well at times.
Dominic Solanke (£7.1m) was kept quiet and substituted late on but there were some nervy moments for Klopp, especially when David Brooks (£4.7m) put a one-on-one wide.
However, the Cherries do have a few issues ahead of Thursday’s FA Cup tie against Swansea City, particularly at full-back.
Adam Smith (£4.4m), Ryan Fredericks (£4.3m) and Milos Kerkez (£4.4m) were all absent in Gameweek 21, while Max Aarons (£4.4m) was forced off during the closing stages.
It’s a situation that will be of interest to those who own West Ham attackers, who face Bournemouth in Gameweek 22.
“Right now, we are really thin with the full-backs. Probably the worst thing today is that we are going to lose Max Aarons. He was the only proper full-back we had at 100%.
“We will have to think what to do, especially for the next game against Swansea, because Lloyd Kelly played some minutes today. Probably he needs slowly, slowly more minutes. He is not fully fit.
“I don’t think we are going to recover Adam Smith or Milos Kerkez for the next game. James Hill didn’t play in the last round for Blackburn, so isn’t cup-tied, and we also recover Marcos [Senesi] from today. But especially in this full-back area, right now we are pretty thin.” – Andoni Iraola
