Bournemouth play Liverpool on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Premier League
Saturday 8 December 2018 11:16, UK
Eddie Howe says Liverpool will not take Bournemouth lightly, despite Jurgen Klopp's side facing a must-win Champions League match next week.
Bournemouth have lost four of their six Premier League matches against Liverpool, who face Napoli on Tuesday, but will aim to end the Reds' unbeaten league record on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
Victory against Huddersfield on Tuesday saw the Cherries end a four-match losing run with and Howe believes the manner of Liverpool's comeback win at Burnley is testament to how strongly Klopp is taking their league approach.
"I don't think I should disrespect Liverpool in that way," Howe said when asked whether Liverpool might take one eye off the match.
We anticipate meeting a full strength Liverpool team.
"You look at the way they approached the Burnley game - yes they made changes - but they were very professional in the job that they did.
"I think they will look at our game as a very important one in their Premier League season. They are not going to take us lightly. We anticipate meeting a full strength Liverpool team."
It has been suggested in some quarters Liverpool's strike force hasn't fired to the same extent as last season, but Howe doesn't agree with that assertion.
"They have definitely improved as a team," he added. "They are a lot more resolute, resilient. Their defensive record is excellent and that takes a lot of work on the training ground, a lot of discipline.
"You don't win the league without so they are moving in the direction they want to. They have also got within a much better defensive record players that can win the game within a moment.
"You know the players as well as I do. We are going to have to be very good in a disciplines of our defending in this match to have any chance of getting a result."
Howe believes the manner of his side's midweek victory against Huddersfield showed his side are maturing and learning to win the hard way and provides confidence for the weekend's test.
"In a one-off match against anybody I think we can win," Howe said. "That is my genuine belief but we are going to have to be absolutely excellent in every department. It is a big challenge for us against Liverpool.
"We know their strengths, how good they can be. For us we are looking at a top performance and hopefully the result will come our way."
Watch Bournemouth host Liverpool on Saturday live on Sky Sports Premier League from 11.30am.
