Preview: Bournemouth vs. Crystal Palace - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to widen their winning tally successful the apical formation to six matches, Bournemouth volition invited a struggling Crystal Palace broadside to the Vitality Stadium successful the Premier League connected Boxing Day.

The Cherries volition beryllium brimming with assurance pursuing a battering of Manchester United connected the weekend, whilst the Eagles were dealt a Selhurst Park thumping by rubric hopefuls Arsenal.

Match preview

© Imago

Since gaining automatic promotion backmost to the Premier League nether the stewardship of Scott Parker during the 2021-22 Championship campaign, Bournemouth person battled to successive bottom-half finishes, though it appears arsenic if the South Coast nine are stepping up a cogwheel this term.

The Cherries are present 5 games unbeaten successful the apical formation pursuing a tract time astatine the Theatre of Dreams connected Sunday afternoon, erstwhile goals from Dean Huijsen, Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo sealed a three-strike occurrence against Man United, who person present mislaid back-to-back matches astatine Old Trafford to the seaside outfit.

Winning 4 of their past 5 league contests since the last moments of November, Bournemouth person sprung up to 5th presumption successful the Premier League standings, a mammoth 16 points distant from the relegation portion and conscionable 3 points down Nottingham Forest successful the lowest of the Champions League spots.

Head manager Andoni Iraola is stressing the value of keeping feet firmly connected the crushed pursuing a stellar commencement to the 2024-25 campaign, with the forward-thinking Spaniard guiding Thursday afternoon's hosts to the adjacent step, gathering connected the foundations enactment successful spot by erstwhile brag Gary O'Neil.

Victorious successful 4 of their 8 top-flight location matches truthful acold this term, Bournemouth person cherry-picked immoderate superior scalps astatine the Vitality Stadium, including Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month, erstwhile 19-year-old defender Huijsen became the first-ever teenage goalscorer for the nine successful the Premier League.

© Imago

Following a five-game unbeaten streak successful the Premier League from the extremity of November to the mediate of December, Crystal Palace person endured somewhat of a festive nightmare successful the institution of London rivals Arsenal implicit the past week, with the Gunners beating their metropolis foes successful some cupful and league battles.

A Gabriel Jesus hat-trick stole the headlines past Wednesday nighttime arsenic the Eagles were dumped retired of the EFL Cup astatine the quarter-final signifier successful North London, and 3 days aboriginal it was the crook of Palace to big successful the apical flight, with Mikel Arteta's men enjoying a 5-1 triumph.

Happy to spot the backmost of Arsenal, Crystal Palace are presently occupying 16th spot successful the Premier League table, conscionable 4 points supra 18th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers, who look acceptable for a important resurgence pursuing the accomplishment of Portuguese caput manager Vitor Pereira.

As a result, it is of paramount value that Oliver Glasner's troops proceed their steadfast caller signifier during distant matches successful the apical flight, with the Eagles unbeaten successful 4 Premier League contests connected their travels, a spell that includes wins astatine Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Bagging a brace and an assistance during his side's 3-1 occurrence implicit the Seagulls connected the South Coast earlier this month, Ismaila Sarr is opening to find his feet successful England again aft a one-year hiatus astatine Marseille successful Ligue 1, with the 26-year-old scoring 4 league goals truthful far.

Bournemouth Premier League form:

Crystal Palace Premier League form:

Crystal Palace signifier (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Bournemouth brag Iraola has revealed that helium does not expect immoderate of his injured contingent to retrieve successful clip to diagnostic connected Boxing Day versus the Eagles.

As a result, the likes of Alex Scott (knee), Julian Araujo (hamstring) and centre-back Marcos Senesi (muscle) volition beryllium constricted to watching briefs erstwhile more.

There could beryllium an alteration for the in-form Cherries astatine right-back, wherever Adam Smith mightiness beryllium replaced by Lewis Cook, who played the 2nd 45 minutes astatine Manchester United connected the weekend.

Crystal Palace are acceptable to person a large wounded boost, with England planetary Eberechi Eze apt to instrumentality to the squad aft missing the Arsenal decision connected the weekend.

Another attacking threat, Daniel Munoz volition besides beryllium progressive erstwhile again connected Boxing Day aft serving his suspension against the Gunners past clip out.

Trevoh Chalobah is disposable for enactment pursuing his omission from the starting XI against Arsenal, with the centre-back a unfortunate of Glasner's rotation tactics.

After a breakthrough run successful 2023-24, Adam Wharton is struggling to find consistency this clip around, mostly down to a groin contented that has kept him sidelined since the commencement of November.

Bournemouth imaginable starting lineup:
Arrizabalaga; Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Adams, Christie; Semenyo, Kluivert, Ouattara; Evanilson

We say: Bournemouth 1-0 Crystal Palace

Conceding conscionable 7 goals crossed 8 Premier League location matches successful 2024-25, Bournemouth volition beryllium assured of keeping an often-misfiring Crystal Palace outfit astatine bay.

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