Bournemouth vs. Chelsea: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Chelsea have a very favourable record against Bournemouth in recent meetings, with the Blues unbeaten in the last five head-to-head meetings between the two teams, winning four of them.

Four of the last six meetings have also seen over 2.5 goals scored, so we expect this one to be a high-scoring encounter.

However, Chelsea have looked unconvincing at times so far this season and with fitness doubts surrounding a couple of key players, this feels like a potential banana skin fixture for the Blues.

Bournemouth have lost just one of their last eight league games on home soil, so we expect them to give as good as they get against a dangerous Chelsea side. Bournemouth 2-2 Chelsea.

Bournemouth will welcome Chelsea to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday in what is a big game for both teams.

• Date: 14/09/2024
• Kick-off time: 20:00
• Location: Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth

Bournemouth have enjoyed a commendable start to the 2024-25 season, sitting 8th in the league table with five points from their first three games. Under Andoni Iraola, the Cherries have shown glimpses of promise that suggest they are ready to push for a top-half finish, something that would mark a notable feat in their progression as a club since their first promotion to the Premier League in 2014-15.

Bournemouth have been largely impressive at both ends of the pitch and have shown a strong platform from which they can continue to improve. Despite losing last season’s top scorer, Dominic Solanke, to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, the Cherries have not shown any signs of missing their former talisman, with new options stepping up to fill the void.

One emerging key figure in Bournemouth's attack is winger Antoine Semenyo. The 24-year-old Ghanaian international has willingly shouldered the burden of becoming Bournemouth's primary attacker, notching two goals and providing one assist in the club’s opening three games. Semenyo’s pace, directness, and ability to drive at defences have made him a constant threat, and if he continues to imrove at the rate he currently is doing then his days on the south coast could be numbered.

With a relatively young and dynamic squad, Bournemouth have ambitions to transcend Premier League mediocrity and push to become a club that regularly competes in European football. They've started the season in fine fashion but the days are still very early; a win against Chelsea would really cement a fast start to the campaign and set them up for further success.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have had a more mixed start to their campaign under new manager Enzo Maresca. Currently sitting 11th in the Premier League with four points from three games, the Blues have shown flashes of quality but have largely been marred by inconsistency. After a summer of significant change at Stamford Bridge, both on and off the pitch, the club is still in the process of rebuilding, which sounds jaw-dropping given the degree of investment in the squad.

Maresca, who was appointed to the role after guiding Leicester City to promotion last season, has been tasked with the challenge of revitalising a Chelsea side that has been well short of the expected standard in the last couple of seasons. The early signs have been mixed, with the team showing both positive and negative aspects at both ends of the pitch.

One standout positive has been the performance of winger Noni Madueke, who has shown notable progression from the level he displayed in a Chelsea shirt throughout last season. Academy product Levi Colwill has also been a commanding presence at centre-back.

Adding to the sense of unease around Stamford Bridge are the ongoing issues behind the scenes. News broke this week of a standoff between two factions of Chelsea’s ownership group, with relationships reportedly at a breaking point. Both sides are now looking to buy the other out of their stake in the club, exposing what is a weak and fractured ownership structure. This internal discord has only added to the tumultuous atmosphere surrounding Chelsea, following on from a period of significant upheaval in the aftermath of Roman Abramovich's departure and the subsequent takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

For Maresca and his players, the situation is unlikely to help matters on the pitch, with a backdrop of ownership uncertainty likely to make many players and staff members uneasy about their own position within the club. A win against Bournemouth won't make any of that go away, but it will at least keep spirits in the dressing room to a good level.

This game will be televised live to all subscribed UK viewers on Sky Sports Main Event.

Bournemouth Team News:

Philip Billing is a doubt for the Cherries while Tyler Adams and Enes Ünal will continue to miss out.

Luis Sinisterra will hope for a place in the starting lineup after scoring the winner off the bench last time out, as will centre-back Dean Huijsen and midfielder Alex Scott.

Predicted lineup: Arrizabalaga; Araujo, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Cook, Scott; Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier; Sinisterra.

Chelsea Team News:

Chelsea will be sweating on the fitness of Levi Colwill who picked up what looked like a hamstring issue on international duty with England, while Cole Palmer is also a doubt after withdrawing from England's squad at the start of the month.

A change or two from the most recent lineup is on the cards for this one, with Christopher Nkunku one of the prime candidates for a recall to the starting XI.

Predicted lineup: Sánchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernández; Madueke, Palmer, Jackson; Nkunku.

Bournemouth's most recent game saw them take a trip to Merseyside to take on Everton in what was an all-time classic. The Cherries have often struggled at Goodison Park, and the majority of the game saw that trend continue, with Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin putting the Toffees 2-0 up early in the second half after a pretty dominant showing.

Everton remained largely in control of the game, but Antoine Semenyo pulled a goal back on 87 minutes, a strike that sparked a complete swing in momentum and a vicious onslaught.

Lewis Cook bagged an equaliser in the second minute of time added on, and with the Goodison Parl crowd then raucously on the backs of the Everton players, Luis Sinisterra really twisted the knife with a fine header in the 96th minute, sealing a dramatic 3-2 win.

Prior to that, Bournemouth lost 1-0 to West Ham United in the FA Cup and registered successive 1-1 draws in the league against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

Chelsea's latest outing was a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. A good first half showing saw Chelsea take the lead through Nicolas Jackson in what was a well-worked team goal, with significant contributions from Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer.

However, the second half saw the game take a very different dynamic, with Palace working their way back into the game, eventually equalising through a fine Eberechi Eze goal.

Chelsea offered little in the second half and could have even lost the game, leaving somewhat of a sour taste in the mouths of fans.

Before that, Chelsea lost 2-1 to Servette in the Champions League, beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 6-2, beat Servette 2-0 and lost 0-2 to Manchester City.

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