Bournemouth demonstrated how to take down big clubs, while Crystal Palace showed cracks in their own armour. Is it worth trusting the formidable hosts for the win?
In fact, this is more about the issues Manchester United faced when they played with Bournemouth (3:0). The visitors capitalised by scoring from a free kick, a penalty, and open play—a classic combination. The match against Manchester United marked their fifth consecutive match gathering points, with only one being a draw where they arguably gained rather than lost. In their home fixture against West Ham United, Bournemouth equalised in the 90th minute (1:1). This successful run has lifted them to fifth place—an impressive standing in this campaign. They're just three points shy of a Champions League spot, so the hosts will be highly motivated to secure another win.
Crystal Palace faced two matches against league leaders in December, against Manchester City and Arsenal. They managed to snatch a draw against the struggling champions (2:2) but faltered against their capital rivals (1:5). Notably, they put up a much more cohesive performance midweek against Arsenal in the League Cup. Eberechi Eze was on the pitch then, but suffered a significant knock at the Emirates, leading to his substitution after an hour. At home without him, Crystal Palace created more chances (three big chances to one) but were significantly dented by the 15th minute, conceding twice to Gabriel Jesus (+three in the cup match).
Bournemouth boast a fearsome attacking trio in Francisco Evanilson, Justin Kluivert, and Antoine Semenyo, who have collectively scored 15 goals in the Premier League. Crystal Palace's defensive ranks are unlikely to contain all of them, making a victory for the hosts seem probable.
