O'Neil admits it's difficult to 'keep a team like Liverpool at bay'

Bournemouth's manager addressed the media ahead of Saturday's game.

O'Neil admits it's difficult to 'keep a team like Liverpool at bay'
Photo via gettyimages/Robin Jones
ollie_lee
By Oliver Lee

After a heartbreaking defeat to league leaders Arsenal, Bournemouth face off against a resurgent Liverpool. There could be better times to be facing Jurgen Klopp's side, who came into this game off the back of an incredible 7-0 victory over rivals, Manchester United.

Gary O'Neil's team find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table, after back-to-back defeats against two of the leagues heavyweights.

Liverpool's visit to Dean Court completes a hat-trick of matches against clubs in the top six. The question is how can O'Neil gain revenge after that 9-0 humiliation at Anfield, earlier in the campaign ?

  • On the struggles to protect leads

One of The Cherries' most glaring issues this season has been the habit of throwing away leads. The loss against Arsenal was the third separate occasion Bournemouth have been defeated after holding a two goal advantage with similar scenarios playing out versus Tottenham and at Leeds United.

"I think all the situations are different. It's very easy to clump them together and look at them as one. They're very, very different. I think the Arsenal one, the flow of the game did not change at all.

"They took three of their chances in the last half an hour and they missed them in the first hour. That's basically how the game went. We frustrated them in the same way. They threw balls in the box, there were deflections and bodies on the line.

"Our game plan didn't change. It's just a long time to hold Arsenal at bay. Inevitably, good sides have a chance of scoring late on in a game because they wear you down. People start to get tired. I think the lads understand. They know what it takes to see a game out.

"When we get in front, we try and stay positive and make sure we're still a threat. And we were. We were one-nil up and Dango (Ouattara) goes through clean on goal, one versus one with Aaron Ramsdale. I think Aaron Ramsdale makes a good save from Dom (Solanke) in the second half.

"It wasn't as if the game changed and we were like 'we're two-nil up, let's just sit in front of our goal'. It was the same, It's difficult for 90 minutes to hold a team of that quality at bay."

  • On the relegation battle

O'Neil's troops are very much part of what is turning into an enthralling scrap at the wrong end of the table. Going into Saturday's game there are only six points between them and Crystal Palace in 12th.

Getty: Robin Jones

A frantic end of the season, awaits many of the clubs down there.

"Difficult season to sort of pick the ones you expect to be right down there come the end. I think there is a bit of a mixed group there at the moment, and of course when you're in and amongst it, the more teams that are involved the better.

"But, yeah, it is a very tight bottom of the league. So back-to-back results, or a win that people don't expect you to get, can make a big difference. The margins are so small.

"So the nature of every chat we have after every Saturday game with you guys changes in an instant of real fine margins.I think a lot of the last few games, including the one we won, including Wolves, fine margins at Wolves as well, so they can go in your favour.

"The goal Nottingham Forest score here, where Sam Surridge last year would have been technically offside by last year's rules. So the margins are tiny and we are one point behind achieving what would be a real successful season for us at the moment.

"To stay in the Premier League would be a huge success. We're one point behind that at this moment."

  • On Injury News

Bournemouth were without key players such as Hamed Traore, Marcus Tavernier and Jefferson Lerma last weekend. O'Neil addressed who is likely to be back for Saturday's encounter.

"Tav will still be out. Junior Traore will still be out. Jeff is touch and go. Jeff's not done as much as you would like, but he's still further along than the others. We'll make a call on Jeff tomorrow.

"Lewis Cook is still back, good to have Lew still. The rest should be fairly similar to where we where last week."