Premier League: Chelsea vs Bournemouth
Game preview
Chelsea will be looking to bounce back from a dip in form that has resulted in two points in four Premier League games against Bournemouth on Tuesday.
Enzo Maresca’s side are four points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest after surprise defeats at home against Fulham and away to Ipswich Town between draws at Everton and Crystal Palace.
Maresca is always keen to play down rumors that Chelsea were even title contenders this season and fifth-placed Newcastle are now a point behind his team, while Manchester City are a point behind the Magpies.
Seventh-placed Bournemouth would move level on points with Chelsea with a win and their confidence should be high after they went a club-record eight games unbeaten in the top flight thanks to a 1-0 home win over Everton on January 4.
#CHEBOU Preparations. ⏳ pic.twitter.com/9KRadUewpJ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 13, 2025
Andoni Iraola’s Cherries are strengthening their European Championship hopes with each passing week and their five wins in those eight games included a home win against Tottenham and a 3-0 win against Manchester United for the second time in a row at Old Trafford.
The Spaniard says Bournemouth “have to be better” than in the 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea on September 14, when they had seven of the 10 attempts on goal between the teams but were beaten by Christopher Nkunku’s 86th-minute goal.
“We will need a very, very good performance,” said Iraola. “We probably need to improve our finishing. It’s not hard to understand what (Chelsea) is doing, but it’s hard to stop them.
“It will be a challenge for us, but I hope it will also be a challenge for them, because we have a good chance.”
Eden loved a goal against Bournemouth. 😍#CHEBOU 🔜 pic.twitter.com/EcMOtkkVbh
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 13, 2025
Maresca described Bournemouth as “very tough” and attributed their success to a “press with real intensity that makes it difficult for teams”.
“They always try to be intense and it’s pretty clear what they do on and off the ball,” he noted. “They are direct, physically very strong and fast.”
News about the Chelsea vs. Bournemouth team
Wideman Reece James and midfielder Romeo Lavia played 45 minutes in Chelsea’s 5-0 FA Cup home win over fourth-tier Morecambe on Saturday and Maresca said both players were ready to feature against Bournemouth.
The Italian added that England striker Noni Madueke is back in contention after an illness. Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is a doubt after missing the clash against The Shrimps, while Benoit Badiashile has a hamstring problem and fellow centre-back Wesley Fofana may not play again this season with a hamstring injury.
We can confirm that Max Aarons has completed a loan move to Valencia 🤝 pic.twitter.com/rTaYMwWpmM
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) January 13, 2025
Bournemouth’s strikers have appeared cursed since the start of the year, with Evanilson breaking a bone in his foot against Everton and Enes Unal suffering a second serious knee injury of his career in training last week.
Daniel Jebbison is now Iraola’s only outright striker in the senior squad and the 21-year-old chose a welcome time to score his first goal of the season from his loan spell in Saturday’s 5-1 FA Cup win over West Bromwich Albion Watford recalled.
The former England youth international had failed to score in his first 16 games of the 2024/25 season in the Championship and Premier League, despite only starting four of them.
On-loan Kepa Arrizabalaga, whose move from Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea cost £71.6m in 2018 and still makes him the most expensive goalkeeper in history, is ineligible to play against his parent club, while new defender Julio Soler is in the Argentina U20 squad. Selection plays.
There is better news at midfield, where Iraola has confirmed this Ryan Christie is in the running after missing the visit of West Brom.
This team move 😮💨🌪️ pic.twitter.com/NmHDkgqN2M
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) January 12, 2025
Chelsea vs Bournemouth eexpected lineups
Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Bournemouth: trusses; Hill, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, chef; Semenyo, Kluivert, Brooks; Ouattara
