Chelsea vs Bournemouth

Stamford Bridge sets the stage for an exciting Premier League clash between Chelsea and Bournemouth. 

What not long ago looked like another forgettable season could offer the Stamford Bridge faithful plenty of joy, as avoiding defeat would see Chelsea reach the Europa Conference League group stages. However, extending a four-game unbeaten league run against Bournemouth with a win (W2, D2) would bring the Blues back into the Europa League picture, a feat they’d achieve if Manchester City defend their FA Cup title. Mauricio Pochettino’s men are confident of holding up their end of the bargain after winning their last four Premier League matches in a row, including a 5-0 hammering of West Ham in their most recent home outing. Virtually unplayable at the Bridge, the Pensioners haven’t lost a home league game since late February (W5, D1), winning the last three by a combined score of 13-0.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth’s disastrous league start is a distant memory as they’ve secured a third consecutive Premier League campaign with games to spare and will even better last season’s 15th-place finish. There’s still a chance for manager Andoni Iraola to celebrate his contract extension with a top-half finish, though it’d require the Cherries to better Brighton’s result against Manchester United. Taking points on the road has recently proved elusive for Bournemouth, with three defeats from their last four top-flight travels (W1) fueling fears of losing back-to-back away league matches against Chelsea for the first time. Interestingly, Bournemouth’s six previous Premier League visits to West London have fluctuated between wins (3) and losses (3), with the Boscombe outfit slipping to a 2-0 defeat in this corresponding fixture last term.