A jubilant Bournemouth will host sorry Chelsea on Saturday in a clash between the Premier League’s 13th and 12th ranked teams.
Four wins in their last five games have catapulted the Cherries towards safety, with Gary O’Neil leading a stunning charge towards safety having previously been written off as relegation certainties.
That recent run has drawn Bournemouth level on points with Chelsea, who have lost all six games under interim manager Frank Lampard after Graham Potter’s dismissal at the start of April.
Here’s what you need to know about the clash between two sides not yet safe from relegation.
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Country |
TV channel/live stream |
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United Kingdom |
Not televised in UK |
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United States |
Peacock |
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Canada |
fuboTV Canada |
Matias Vina and Marcos Senesi shook off knocks to compete in Bournemouth’s recent 4-1 thumping of Leeds, though Marcus Tavernier isn’t expected to return from his hamstring problem.
Ryan Fredericks and Junior Stanislas remain out of contention, while there are doubts over the fitness of Hamed Traore, Chris Mepham and Kieffer Moore.
Bournemouth predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Neto; Smith, Senesi, Kelly, Vina; Rothwell, Lerma; Christie, Billing, Ouattara; Solanke.
Chelsea’s large squad means Frank Lampard has plenty of options should he decide to make changes to the side that lost 3-1 at Arsenal, their sixth defeat in a row.
Kai Havertz is likely to come in for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang up front, though Noni Madueke could keep his spot after netting his first Premier League goal at the Emirates.
Current Premier League table, top scorers & upcoming fixtures
Chelsea predicted lineup (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Fofana, Silva, Chilwell; Gallagher, Fernandez, Kovacic; Madueke, Havertz, Sterling.
Hoping his side beat a team tipped for relegation to remain in with a chance of finishing in the top ten probably wasn’t on Todd Boehly’s mind when he took over at Chelsea in 2022.
Bournemouth’s strong away form has propelled them up the Premier League table. The Cherries may well have done enough already to stay up, but a positive result against Chelsea would leave their fans with little to worry about heading into their final three games.
Supporters and pundits have run out of negative superlatives to describe Chelsea this season. With little fight left in the squad by this point in the season, a home win at the Vitality Stadium is on the cards.
