Bournemouth will host Chelsea at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, 17th of September as the Premier League returns after the International break.
Both teams have performed below expectations since the start of the 2023/2024 English Premier League campaign.
Chelsea will be looking forward to bouncing back from their 1-0 shocking defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest before the League took a week off.
Bournemouth went to the International break after a 2-2 draw with Brentford and they’ll be aiming for a victory at their home ground when they lock horns against Mauricio Pochenttino’s men.
However, Andoni Iraola’s men’s series of awful results means that they have been without a single victory since they defeated Leeds United 4-1 at the end of April 2023.
On the other hand, their only clean sheet in their last 12 Premier League games was against relegated Southampton.
Nottingham Forest destroyed the expensive Chelsea squad and broke the deadlock in just three minutes into the second half as in-form Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga’s combination ended with the latter firing home.
Only Luton Town have failed to defeat Chelsea in the Premier League so far this season, where the West London outfit are currently occupying 12th position in the EPL table.
Bournemouth vs Chelsea; Team News
Bournemouth
Tyler Adams is yet to earn his first-team appearance due to a thigh injury, which will likely make him unavailable for their upcoming game, the same as Dango Ouattara who is still suffering from an ankle issue.
Bournemouth medical issues might cause them a lot with the likes of Alex Scott dealing with a knee injury, Ryan Fredericks suffering from a calf problem, and Emiliano Marcondes with a foot issue.
Chelsea
Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia have not been handed their debut since they moved to Stamford Bridge joining the likes of long-term absentee Carney Chukwuemeka, Wesley Fofana, and Marcus Bettinelli who all are suffering from knee injuries.
Sunday’s match is believed to come too soon for captain Reece James who’s suffering from a thigh issue, but Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah are on the verge of returning from related crises, Armando Broja ought to make his appearance on the bench for the first time since his embarrassing knee injury last winter.
The two nine-figure midfielders, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, did not train on Thursday because they needed checkups after the long flight back from South America.
However, they should have plenty of time to catch up with the rest of the team before Sunday’s game.
Bournemouth vs Chelsea potential lineups
Bournemouth:
Neto; Max Aarons, Illya Zabarnyi, Lloyd Kelly, Milos Kerkez; Lewis Cook, Philip Billing; Marcus Tavernier, Ryan Christie, Antonie Semenyo; Dominic Solanke.
Chelsea:
Robert Sanchez; Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill; Ben Chilwell, Moises Caicedo, Conor Gallagher, Malo Gusto; Enzo Fernandez, Raheem Sterling; Nicolas Jackson.
Date, Kick-Off Time, And Venue:
The match between the two teams is scheduled to be played on Sunday, 17th of September by 2:00 pm (BST) at the Vitality Stadium.
Prediction
The Cherries, home ground has not always been a simple playing soil for Chelsea, who were beaten 4-0 by Bournemouth three seasons ago. But the home team’s defensive problems mean their win is beyond the realm of possibility.
It is hard to say Chelsea will take all three points against Andoni Iraola’s men due to their recent performances while the Cherries will also find it difficult to secure a victory over the struggling Pochettino team.
Therefore, we say the Blues will likely secure a narrow 1-0 triumph over the Cherries.
