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It is well-established by now that Liverpool have garnered a bit of a reputation for playing down to their opposition. It began in only the second fixture of the season, as — following a thrilling 4-3 win over Arsenal in the league opener — they conspired to flatline completely in a 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Burnley at Anfield. A run of fine form and fiery offensive football followed, before their second defeat of the season came at the hands of Bournemouth, in which the Reds found a way to concede three goals in the final fifteen minutes of the match, losing 4-3.
Since then, the narrative created at the Vitality Stadium has gathered strength, with Liverpool dominating against the top seven, and floundering against the bottom six. Luckily, Eddie Howe's men have established themselves as solidly mid-table, far above the depths of the table in which the Reds so struggle. They have also been a fun watch for the neutral, as they have been involved in the fourth most goals of all teams in the Premier League, 96 in total (Liverpool are, naturally, first, on 101). If nothing else, the match looks likely to contain goals, in all directions.
For Liverpool:
Clyne, Matip, Lovren, Milner
Can, Lucas, Wijnaldum
Origi, Firmino, Coutinho
Despite a quick turnaround, injuries to Adam Lallana, Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge leave Jürgen Klopp with few options, and a minimum of rotation is to be expected. With Sadio Mané also unavailable following his injury on Saturday's Merseyside derby, Divock Origi is likely to get the nod, either as a direct replacement on the wing, or at the central striker spot, with Roberto Firmino moving out wide. The makeshift midfield of Lucas Leiva, Emre Can and Georginio Wijnaldum performed excellently at Anfield, and will probably return.
The Cherries, on their end, lost starting DM Andrew Surman to injury on Saturday, but are otherwise in solid health. They are undefeated in the last four, following a run of nine matches without a win, and will no doubt be looking to transfer their success from December's fixture to Anfield on Wednesday.
Kickoff is set for 8PM GMT/3PM EST Wednesday on NBC Sports live in the US, but has yet to receive a listing in the UK. You can find full listings at LivesoccerTV.
We'll be keeping you updated with all the buildup to the game, including team news as it's released, our live matchday thread and post-match recaps from The Liverpool Offside staff. If you want to join the discussion, sign up for an SB Nation account to have your say on all the action as it happens.