Liverpool were made to sweat by a spirited Bournemouth team on Friday night during the opening game of the Premier League season.

The Reds looked on course to get a fairly routine three points to start the campaign having gone 2-0 up just after half time.

However, led by the brilliant Antoine Semenyo, Bournemouth roared back at Anfield.



At 2-2 with 15 minutes left to play, it was the Cherries who looked the most likely.

Liverpool could have 4 players missing vs Bournemouth as Ryan Gravenberch decision explained	Ryan Gravenberch absence explained as Liverpool midfielder misses opening game vs Bournemouth	Why Ryan Gravenberch isn't playing for Liverpool vs Bournemouth

Although Liverpool came back to win in dramatic fashion, Arne Slot has reason to be concerned with certain aspects of his team’s performance.

One of the main issues was the absence of Ryan Gravenberch, and how easy Liverpool’s midfield was to play through without him.

Despite his legions of supporters, Dominik Szoboszlai is not the answer in a deeper-lying role, while Wataru Endo struggled when coming off the bench as well.

With these two options clearly not working for Slot, the door opened for Stefan Bajcetic to step into a key role this season.

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

Bajcetic had a good season out on loan last term.

After getting his fitness back with RB Salzburg, the young Spaniard excelled in La Liga with Las Palmas.

Unfortunately, hamstring surgery followed at the end of the campaign, and Bajcetic has not yet fully recovered.

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There have been suggestions that Bajcetic could leave Liverpool, and given Slot’s readiness to ship him out last year, that would not be a major surprise.

However, there is an argument that the 20-year-old is the most natural understudy for Gravenberch within the Liverpool squad.

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Possessing a similarly silky yet robust style, Bajcetic could slot into the Reds midfield in the Dutchman’s absence in a manner Szoboszlai, Endo or Curtis Jones cannot.

Although playing second fiddle to one of Liverpool’s most important players would perhaps not see Bajcetic garner the minutes he needs this term, it could ultimately be crucial to the campaign.

Liverpool can still win games without Gravenberch, they proved that on Friday.

But if they can get Bajcetic up to speed and filling in whenever he is missing, they will have a better chance of preventing counter-attacks such as those Bournemouth executed on Friday night.

After a raft of fitness problems, Bajcetic was fit for Slot’s arrival last summer.

However, it soon became clear that the new Liverpool head coach did not especially rate the former Celta Vigo youngster.

Slot was at pains to point out Bajcetic’s long-term future at the club at the time, though, and after a good season away nothing should have changed.

Tyler Morton left Liverpool partly because of Bajcetic, with the Spain U21 international seen as being ahead of him in the pecking order.

Nevertheless, there is still a chance that Slot decides he has enough in midfield, despite the evidence against Bournemouth, and chooses to cash in or loan Bajcetic out again.

Gravenberch does need some help this season, and Bajcetic would be an ideal understudy, but it may yet become a moot point over the next two weeks.