Liverpool head to Bournemouth needing to stop the bleeding in the Premier League title race

Six points. That is the gap separating Liverpool from the top of the Premier League table right now, and that number looms larger than anything else when you look at the matchday 5 schedule. On Sunday, September 20, the Anfield side travel to the Vitality Stadium to take on a Bournemouth team that still hasn't won a game domestically this season.

Kickoff is set for 8:00 a.m. (COL/PER/ECU) and 10:00 a.m. (ARG/UY/PAR), streaming live on Disney+ (exclusive to South America). This is no ordinary fixture for Liverpool: dropping points here would push them even further behind the leaders, a stake the newsroom can't ignore when weighing what's on the line for both sides.

An inconsistent Bournemouth still chasing its first win

On the other side stands a team that opened the season on shaky footing. Bournemouth have collected just 2 points through their first Premier League matches and are still searching for their first league win. Still, the squad arrives in good spirits after beating Real Sociedad 2-1 in the Europa League, with goals from Rayan and Kluiverth.

Much of the credit for Bournemouth not falling apart over these first four games belongs to one man: goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic. His form between the posts stands out as the main reason the team hasn't shipped more goals, and this Sunday he looks set to be one of the key figures trying to slow down a Liverpool side that's hitting its stride.

Mac Allister in scoring form

Right across the way is another name lighting up the buildup: Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentine has yet to renew his contract with Liverpool, but while the front office mulls it over, he's answering in the only way he knows how: with goals. His control of midfield, his sharp reading of the game and his knack for finding the net make him one of the players to watch in this match.

That version of Mac Allister was on full display again in Liverpool's last outing, a 3-1 win over Tottenham in the first round of the EFL Cup. Mac Allister got on the scoresheet himself, joined on the list of scorers by Gakpo and Szoboszlai, proof that the team doesn't rely on just one man to create danger.

With that contrast in needs, a Liverpool side forced to stop losing ground and a Bournemouth side still hunting for its first league joy, the Vitality Stadium is shaping up for a match with plenty at stake for both sides.