Thursday 18 December 2014 13:43, UK
Brendan Rodgers has tipped Bournemouth to join Liverpool in the Premier League next season after watching his side put the Championship leaders out of the Capital One Cup.
Liverpool secured a semi-final clash with Chelsea after a double from Raheem Sterling and a goal from Lazar Markovic gave them a 3-1 win at Goldsands Stadium.
Despite his team’s win, Bournemouth made a very positive impression on Rodgers and he is confident Eddie Howe will lead them to promotion this season.
They can go on and get promoted. They thoroughly deserve it, they are a wonderful club.
"They are a wonderful team and have got an outstanding young manager," Rodgers said. "They can go on and get promoted. They thoroughly deserve it, they are a wonderful club.
"So good luck to them, hopefully they can keep going. I think they can get promoted, that was 12 games unbeaten and I saw their win against Cardiff (a 5-3 victory last week) and some of their other games.
"They look a real threat and they are super organised while playing good football at a good intensity. The crowd really help and they go away to places like Wolves and win.
"They have got every chance to get through and in Eddie they have an outstanding young manager, I would be delighted for him."
One negative for Liverpool on the night was that Dejan Lovren had to be withdrawn with a groin injury at half-time and replaced by Mamadou Sakho.
The injury puts Lovren’s participation in Sunday’s game against Arsenal in doubt but Rodgers was keen to stress he has not been ruled out.
"We will just see and assess that," Rodgers added. "He had a little sort of nick in his groin and we will see how that is."
