Chelsea vs. Bournemouth - prediction, team news, lineups

Sitting 10th successful the Premier League table, Chelsea invited winless Bournemouth to Stamford Bridge for Saturday’s gameweek six brushwood arsenic they look to extremity a three-match top-flight tally without success. 

Xabi Alonso’s broadside needed the planetary interruption aft their goal-laden commencement gave mode to a bid of antiaircraft nightmares, but the Spanish manager volition anticipation the intermission tin spark a much-needed upturn against the Cherries.

Match preview

You did not request to beryllium a betting antheral to suggest that Chelsea’s wont of outscoring their opponents was not sustainable, and that has proven correct.

The Blues commenced the play needing 3 goals to decision Fulham astatine Craven Cottage and requiring 4 to triumph implicit Brighton & Hove Albion, having besides staged a comeback from 2-0 down against Leeds United successful the EFL Cup to unafraid a 6-3 victory.

That League Cup effect came aft Alonso’s men faced a 2-1 decision astatine the location of the reigning Premier League champions — not a mediocre effect successful isolation — but they person not won successful the league since falling to Arsenal astatine the Emirates Stadium. 

The West Londoners are hampered by a shaky defence that continues to concede chances and marque simple mistakes, having yet to bounds opponents to less than 2 goals successful each league lucifer this season.

A agleam commencement against Hull City was followed by an end-to-end lucifer that near the Tigers lamenting not leaving Stamford Bridge with much than a 2-2 draw, and the five-time Premier League champions were thoroughly embarrassed 3-0 by Brentford earlier the planetary break.

Notably, the Blues played with greater power successful a drab opening fractional astatine the Gtech Community Stadium, which whitethorn person softly pleased Alonso, who antecedently suggested helium desired a “boring” game; however, acquainted failings successful mentality and antiaircraft errors surfaced successful the West London derby.

Indeed, Bournemouth volition question to instrumentality vantage of facing a Chelsea broadside that person been inconsistent truthful acold nether their Spanish manager, adjacent arsenic they look their ain challenges.

Marco Rose’s squad beryllium 17th successful the table aft a winless commencement to the league campaign, though their disappointing tally is somewhat mitigated by their maximum points tally from their Europa League debut successful mid-September.

This success, on with a 4-0 thrashing of Lincoln City successful the EFL Cup, explains wherefore Rose has enjoyed immoderate positivity since taking implicit from Andoni Iraola, who near astatine the extremity of past play and has since moved to Liverpool.

Bournemouth’s mentation for Saturday’s lucifer has been dealt different blow, with prima midfielder and erstwhile Chelsea transportation people Alex Scott suffering a thigh wounded that could sideline him until November.

Considering the earlier lack of their breakout prima Eli Junior Kroupi for the 2025-26 season, the Cherries’ quest for their archetypal triumph astatine Stamford Bridge since December 2019, oregon ending a 10-match winless streak successful this fixture, has go adjacent much challenging.

Half of those 10 matches, however, person ended successful draws, portion 3 of their 5 losses to the London nine person been narrow, highlighting the competitory quality of this fixture.

Given that their past 2 visits to the Bridge finished 2-2, Rose volition look to gully inspiration from Bournemouth’s caller trips there, hoping to debar a 3rd league decision successful his aboriginal tenure.

Chelsea Premier League form:

Chelsea signifier (all competitions):

Bournemouth Premier League form:

Bournemouth signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Marco Palestra and Emmanuel Emegha person been seen successful Chelsea grooming this week, starring to a consciousness that some are prepared to instrumentality to enactment successful immoderate capacity. 

However, uncertainty persists regarding Moises Caicedo and Reece James, portion Cole Palmer volition beryllium evaluated aft missing the caller planetary break, which could interaction his England future. 

Possibly a much important absence, this weekend’s lucifer whitethorn get excessively soon for Joao Pedro, who missed the September-October planetary interruption with Brazil due to a genu issue.

Alonso has kept observers guessing with his strategy, having employed a backmost 3 and backmost 4 already astatine Chelsea, and this play is expected to showcase different saltation unless determination person been changes successful the past 3 weeks.

As for the visiting side, Rose is managing a fewer wounded concerns, with Scott and Kroupi starring a database that includes Julian Araujo (thigh) and Justin Kluivert (muscle). 

While Veljko Milosavljevic (quad), Amine Adli (calf) and David Brooks person not been marked absent, they are besides not guaranteed to enactment astatine the location of the 2025 Club World Cup winners.

Only Marcus Tavernier has scored much than erstwhile for Bournemouth this season, notably netting successful distant matches astatine Manchester City and Newcastle United, and the wide attacker hopes to people for the 3rd consecutive Premier League fixture connected the road. 

Remarkably, Tavernier’s affirmative streak dates backmost to past season, arsenic helium scored successful the Cherries’ 1-1 gully astatine Nottingham Forest successful May, meaning helium aims to find the nett for a 4th consecutive distant lucifer overall.

Chelsea imaginable starting lineup:

Martinez; Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, Lavia, Henderson, Chavarria; Palmer, Rogers; Welbeck

Bournemouth imaginable starting lineup:

Petrovic; Smith, Hill, Silva, Truffert; Adams, Cook; Rayan, Christie, Tavernier; Evanilson

We say: Chelsea 2-2 Bournemouth

Chelsea’s attacking prowess should make galore openings, but their error-prone defence has shown small denotation that it tin beryllium relied upon. 

Bournemouth person drawn successful their past 2 visits to Stamford Bridge and could erstwhile again frustrate the Blues successful an entertaining draw.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.