Bournemouth confirms Kluivert and Christie to miss Premier League opener at Liverpool

BOURNEMOUTH, England (AP) — Justin Kluivert and Ryan Christie will miss Bournemouth’s season opener at defending champion Liverpool, manager Andoni Iraola confirmed Thursday.

Kluivert, the team’s top scorer in the Premier League a season ago as the Cherries recorded their highest points total, has missed preseason games because of a calf injury.

“Justin hasn’t been training with us, so he’s out,” Iraola said ahead of Friday’s game at Anfield.

The Netherlands forward netted 12 goals in league play and 13 overall last season.

Christie, a 30-year-old Scotland midfielder, has been training with the team following a groin injury.

“But I think it’s too early for him because he hasn’t done any preseason,” Iraola said.

Diakité to make debut?

Center back Bafodé Diakité joined Bournemouth this week from Lille, but Iraola said he hadn’t decided if the Frenchman would face Liverpool.

“He is physically definitely ready, he has done a complete preseason with Lille. It’s a matter now of getting all the concepts quickly,” he said.

Bournemouth sold almost its entire first-choice backline — center backs Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi and left back Milos Kerkez, as well as goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga — to generate around $200 million. Kerkez moved to Liverpool.

“In the end, you are playing the champions in the first day of the season, away. It doesn’t get more difficult for this,” Iraola said.

The status of winger Dango Ouattara, who has been linked with a move to Brentford, was unclear.

“It’s true that I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Iraola said. “We are going day by day. I will ask the club if he can play tomorrow, and if he can travel.”

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