Pray that Skrtel and Benteke have an off day

The heading power of Liverpool's team is something that I am sure Eddie Howe will have warned his players about. Having let in a bit of a soft goal for Rudy Gestede from a corner the news that Liverpool are next up should be ringing alarm bells in the southern team's defensive quarters because the Reds are a team that don't just play it on the floor and do have a couple of players who are strong headers of the ball.

Skrtel is always a danger from set pieces. 

I'm talking about Martin Skrtel and Christian Benteke. Both defender and striker have been renowned for scoring from corners, and if AFCB needed to test that they have their starting positions and marking procedures up to scratch they won't be disappointed by a visit to Anfield. Yes, Liverpool prefer to play fast paced passing football just like the Cherries but they are also a team that will adapt to whatever weak point they can see in the opposition, and it is likely that we will see quite a few balls flung into the seasider's box to test their defensive qualities on a floodlit night on Merseyside.

For that reason I have an inkling that Eddie Howe may make a couple of changes to the Premier League new boy's starting line up. While the centre back pairing of Elphick and Cook started against Aston Villa there could be good reason to bring in Sylvan Distin ahead of Steve Cook for this match. The extra height and the leadership might be too hard for the manager to ignore on a night when Liverpool will be expected to take the game to the Cherries. What is clear is that the back four and keeper will have to have a tremendous game and they should see that as a challenge and an enjoyable one to aim for a clean sheet.

Cherries to chase special defender?

So far the transfer window has just seen attack-minded players come into the team. AFCB will surely add a left back but there has also been rumours of right back Kieran Trippier being on AFCB target list, although Spurs and Liverpool are also supposed to be keen on the Burnley defender. Whether another experienced centre back would also improve the side is also a consideration and while Silvan Distan looks set to go back to France rather than join another Premier League club from Everton, he is the kind of player that would add quality and confidence to a newly promoted side like AFCB.

Central defence is an area where I feel all three recently promoted clubs from the Championship could benefit from a major signing. If the Championship was all about scoring lots of goals, the Premier League will shatter teams that can't keep clean sheets. Elliott Ward is the experienced hand at the back, but his lack of games last season puts a lot of pressure on Steve Cook and Tommy Elphick to continue their good form in a more difficult league. Tommy is a good organiser, but this will be a bigger test. Individual mistakes will cost teams and I'd like to see another experienced player come in if the club can find one. Martin Skrtel at Liverpool is likely to sign a new contract at Anfield, Ashley Williams at Swansea City is already their captain and would not entertain a move, nor would captain John O'Shea at Sunderland who signed a two-year extension in October 2014, and I'm not to keen on that many more central defenders in the Premier League (including Jose Fonte) . 

Perhaps Eddie and Jason are happy with what they have. Jason Shackell at Burnley is a player that they know well, but did he do well enough last season? Some say yes. The Championship does not offer many alternatives and not many of the Championship defenders did well at keeping out AFCB's strikers last season. So it is rumoured that AFCB among other clubs (Saints) have been looking at Nantes centre back 27-year-old Papy Djilobodji.

If you look at the bottom six finishing Premier League teams you might find it hard to find many centre backs in those teams that you would give much confidence of doing better next season. Even WBA who finished 13th with experienced defenders like Lescott and had a minus goal difference of 13. Liverpool and Spurs only just managed a positive goal difference despite finishing in the top six, so keeping out goals is going to be just as important as finding goalscorers for AFCB. The keepers that Eddie has brought in have both been to the Premier League grounds and know what it will all be about though and that has to be a help. 

Dean Court is the last place Liverpool should want to visit

You have to fear for Liverpool a bit. Coming to Dean Court in a game sandwiched between Man Utd and Arsenal is perhaps not going to be such a simple game as Brendan Rodgers would have hoped for. AFCB are scoring heavily at home even if they are also allowing the opposition some joy as well, in recent matches, in their inability to keep clean sheets. But confidence is sky high among the Cherries squad and Eddie Howe knows that whatever team he puts out against Liverpool is going to be a team that has an excellent chance of winning the game.

I don't believe that AFCB fans have really considered that the team is really in touching distance of a semi-final tie in the Capital One Cup. It is just a great pleasure to play a team like Liverpool once again having enjoyed the spectacle last year. A win though is something that the fans are starting to feel is really possible against Liverpool. I don't even feel that it matters whether it was Liverpool or another team in the Premier League. Forget Liverpool's poor run, AFCB would give in inform Liverpool side a difficult game at home and being an evening match just adds a little more excitement to the tie and a better possibility of a home win in my book as the atmosphere will be something special.

Liverpool players warming up at the Goldsands stadium last January.

I don't think Eddie Howe needs to over complicate sorting out a plot to get the better of Liverpool. The players have already shown that they can dismantle sides when they are on their game and the fact that it is Liverpool in the other half will be enough to get AFCB's players doing everything they can to hit that top form. 

Gerrard and Skrtel may do battle again against AFCB.

Could Liverpool be embarrassed on the night? It is possible and it is what makes this particular game a real marker to see just how far AFCB have come. 

Breaking News: Mario Balotelli is out with a groin strain for this match, says the Liverpool Echo. Perhaps Rickie Lambert will start up front for Liverpool.