Bournemouth
Bournemouth were as high as second on the table not long ago. Now, after winning just one of their last five, they’ve plummeted to 14th. Their most recent loss to Everton — their first at home all season — summed up where they're at, with Jack Grealish scoring the winner.
They’ve had a rough run of fixtures, to be fair. Losses to Man City and Aston Villa happen. But throwing away a two-goal lead at Sunderland and then losing to Everton at home is a different story. It’s safe to say their confidence looks shot.
Still, Bournemouth have taken 14 of their 19 points at the Vitality this season and they tend to make life difficult for visitors even when form deserts them. Antoine Semenyo's been their best so far — quick, direct, always wants the ball. If they're going to hurt Chelsea, it'll be through him.
The head-to-head isn't pretty though. Bournemouth have two home wins against Chelsea in 11 attempts, with the last one coming in January 2019. Overall, Chelsea haven't lost to Bournemouth in eight games. That said, I've watched enough football to know those kinds of runs end eventually, and this Chelsea side has cracks.
Most betting apps have Bournemouth as outsiders, which feels about right — though I wouldn't rule out a result entirely.
Team News: Lewis Cook and Tyler Adams are suspended, while Ben Gannon-Doak and Ryan Christie are out injured. On the plus side, Marcos Senesi and David Brooks both come back from suspension.
Predicted Lineup: Petrovic; Jimenez, Senesi, Diakite, Truffert; Tavernier, Scott; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson.
Chelsea
That Leeds result was bizarre. 3-1 at Elland Road against a team scrapping to stay up, just days after holding Arsenal to a draw with 10 men. Chelsea’s latest performance looked flat and disorganised, which isn't something you'd normally associate with Enzo Maresca's sides.
Moises Caicedo's suspension explains a lot of it. Sent off against Arsenal for a bad challenge on Mikel Merino, and now he's serving game two of a three-match ban. Chelsea have won just two of eight Premier League games without him since 2023 — a stat that tells you everything about how much they rely on him in midfield.
Cole Palmer returning is a boost. He came off the bench at Leeds, looked lively, and should've scored. Expect him to start. Chelsea have actually been better on the road than at Stamford Bridge this season — 13 points away versus 11 at home — so travelling shouldn't faze them.
The worry is depth. Maresca's rotated a lot and some of the fringe players haven't delivered when called upon. Liam Delap and Estevao both struggled against Leeds.
Bottom line, Chelsea are nine points behind Arsenal now. The title race is slipping away unless results improve quickly, and they’ll be targeting this fixture as a must-win.
Team News: Caicedo serves game two of his ban. Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo and Mykhaylo Mudryk are also unavailable.
Predicted Lineup: Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Fofana, Cucurella; Santos, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Jackson.
