Liverpool vs AFC Bournemouth: Under-fire Artur Boruc set to remain for Anfield clash
AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Boruc has been backed to put his harrowing display against Tottenham Hotspur behind him, starting against Liverpool in the Capital One Cup fourth round. The Poland international endured a nightmare 90 minutes with three individual errors which led to a 5-1 thrashing by Mauricio Pochettino's side.
Boruc needlessly brought down Harry Kane for the opening goal, a penalty dispatched by the England international, before he dropped the 22-year-old's cross at the feet of Erik Lamela to score the third before half time. A miserable afternoon was capped with Boruc spilling Toby Alderweirld's header for Kane to net his hat-trick.
Manager Eddie Howe has already backed Boruc to recover from the showing to become a crucial part of the Cherries' season, which has seen them lose three of their last four games, conceding 13 goals. Adam Federici let in five against Manchester City in Bournemouth's last away game and was expected to deputise for Boruc in the League Cup trip to Liverpool.
Federici saved three penalties in the shoot-out win over Preston North End in the second round to send Bournemouth through. But after Boruc's traumatic performance against Tottenham, the experienced goalkeeper is set to be retained for the trip to Anfield.
"Everybody is disappointed with the past two results and conceding the amount of goals we have done," assistant Jason Tindall said, according to the Bournemouth Echo. "We have to dust ourselves down." The Liverpool game has come at a good time for us. Artur Boruc was a major part of our success last season. He is old enough and wise enough to put it right.
"I don't think, with the number of injuries, that it'll be possible to make as many changes as previous rounds. With the amount of injuries we cannot go out and change the entire XI. I don't think there will be wholesale changes. But as always we will be putting out a team that we feel are more than capable of winning the match."
On Wednesday [28 October], Bournemouth return to the scene of their first ever top flight away match to face a Liverpool side who beat them controversially in August. Defender Tommy Elphick had a headed goal harshly ruled out for a foul before Christian Benteke marked his home debut with the winner, despite converting from an offside position. Howe was left fuming at full time and Tindall says the club have extra motivation to cause an upset against Jurgen Klopp's side.
"Off the back of two defeats, you want to win as quickly as possible," he added. "Doing that would give us great confidence. It takes the pressure off the league. Winning would give us a great lift. The lads know they went to Liverpool and performed really well. That gives us huge confidence."
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