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Premier League: Chelsea – Bournemouth

Rachel07 mins


Match preview

Chelsea aim to bounce back from a slump in form that has seen them take two points from four Premier League games when they host Bournemouth on Tuesday.

Enzo Maresca’s side have dropped four points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest after shock defeats at home to Fulham and away to Ipswich Town between the draws at Everton and Crystal Palace.

Maresca is keen to play down talk Chelsea were ever title contenders this season and fifth-placed Newcastle now sit a point behind his side, with Manchester City a point behind the Magpies.

Seventh-placed Bournemouth will move level with Chelsea with a win and their confidence will be high after an eight-game top-flight unbeaten run thanks to a 1-0 home win over Everton on January 4.

Andoni Iraola’s Cherries boost their hopes of European qualification with each passing week and their five wins in those eight matches include a home win against Tottenham and a 3-0 Manchester United Substitution at Old Trafford for the second consecutive season.

The Spaniard says Bournemouth “have to be better” than they were in their 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea on September 14, when they had seven of 10 attempts between the teams but were beaten by his goal Christopher Nkunku in the 86th minute.

“We’re going to need a very, very good performance,” Iraola said. “We’ll probably need to improve our finishing. It’s not hard to understand what (Chelsea) is doing, (but) it’s hard to stop her.

“It will be a challenge for us but, hopefully, a challenge for them too, because we have good threats.”

Maresca described Bournemouth as “very tough” and attributed their success to “pressing with real intensity which makes it difficult for teams”.

“They always try to be sharp and it’s clear what they do on and off the ball,” he observed. “They are direct, physically very strong and fast.”

News of the team Chelsea – Bournemouth

Wideman Reece James and midfielder Romeo Lavia returned for 45 minutes in Chelsea’s 5-0 FA Cup win at home to fourth-tier Morecambe on Saturday, and Maresca said both players are ready to play against Bournemouth .

The Italian added that England striker Noni Madueke is back in contention after illness. Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is doubtful to miss the thrashing of The Shrimps, while Benoit Badiashile has a thigh problem and compatriot center back Wesley Fofana may not play again this season with a hamstring injury.

Bournemouth’s forwards seem to have been cursed since the start of the year, with Evanilsson breaking a bone in his leg against Everton and Enes Unal suffering the second serious knee injury of his career in training last week week.

Daniel Jebbison is now Iraola’s only senior striker and the 21-year-old picked a welcome moment to score his first goal of the season in the 5-1 FA Cup win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. recalled from his loan at Watford.

The former England youth international had not scored in the opening 16 games of 2024/25 in the Championship and Premier League, although only four of those were starts.

On-loan Kepa Arrizabalaga, whose £71.6m move from Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea in 2018 still makes him the most expensive goalkeeper in history, is ineligible to feature against his parent club, while new defender Julio Soler he is in Argentina under 20.

There is better news in midfield, where Iraola confirmed it Ryan Christie is in contention after missing the visit of West Brom.

Chelsea – Bournemouth eexpected line-ups

Chelsea: Sanchez? Gusto, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Sancho? Jackson

Bournemouth: Travers? Hill, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Cook; Semenyo, Kluivert, Brooks? Ouattara



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