The 2025/26 Premier League season bursts into life on Friday night when defending champions Liverpool host AFC Bournemouth at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men will look to begin their title defence with authority in front of a home crowd still buzzing from last season’s triumph.
This opening fixture is more than just a formality for Liverpool. Slot, in his second season, will want to stamp his authority early, knowing that every point counts in a title race that promises to be even tighter this time around.
The Reds have strengthened over the summer, adding depth and pace in key areas, and supporters will be eager to see how the new faces settle into the team’s fluid, attacking style.
For Bournemouth, this is a chance to make an early statement against the champions. And at the heart of that ambition is Ghanaian forward Antoine Semenyo.
The Black Stars attacker enjoyed the most prolific season of his Premier League career in 2024/25, hitting 11 goals and proving himself one of the division’s most dangerous counter-attacking threats.
His pace, power and willingness to run at defenders could trouble a Liverpool backline still adapting to off-season changes.
Under the lights at Anfield, the energy will be electric. Liverpool will likely dominate possession, while Bournemouth will be patient, looking for moments to spring forward.
For Semenyo, it’s an opportunity to announce himself again on the big stage — and for Liverpool, it’s the first step in a long and gruelling defence of their crown.
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Story by Samuel Annang|univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Pius Asack
