Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
Both teams secured confident victories over their opponents in the third round of the FA Cup and are now gearing up for a much more intense encounter against each other. The visitors also face the added complication of not being able to feature goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga against the club from which he is on loan.
Chelsea
Of course, defeating a club languishing at the bottom of League Two is much easier than facing a lower-tier Premier League side. Besides the five unanswered goals against Morecambe last Saturday, the Chelsea match was notable for another positive event—the return of captain Reece James, who had been absent for two months due to injury. He played the first half and even assisted Tosin Adarabioyo's opening goal for the Londoners. However, the absence of two key central defenders, Wesley Fofana and Benoît Badiashile, should be a concern ahead of the upcoming clash.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth, meanwhile, are not without their own issues. Forward Francisco Evanilson is unavailable, having recently fractured a metatarsal. The Brazilian has already undergone surgery, and it's likely we won't see him on the pitch until the end of the season. Fortunately, main forwards Antoine Semenyo and Justin Kluivert are available. Central midfielder Ryan Christie, who missed the cup match due to a viral infection, is also likely to be fit to face the Londoners. In total, Bournemouth have 10 players sidelined.
Chelsea vs Bournemouth Prediction
These absences could impact team cohesion, especially in Chelsea's defence, as Bournemouth have scored in 13 out of their last 14 matches. Equally, for Chelsea to not find the net is rare—this has happened only twice in their past 16 games, and without Kepa Arrizabalaga, the challenge increases. We expect we'll see a match with goals from both sides.
