- Bournemouth has 2 wins over Chelsea in 9 matches across all competitions
- Chelsea has not earned a point from a losing position this PL season
- Chelsea has 31 goals this PL season, only 11 at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea looks to pick itself up off the turf before the festive fixtures begin as they host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. ET live on NBCSN or live online at NBCSports.com.
The Blues have lost three of their last four Premier League matches, dropping them to fourth in the table. The three losses have come via a total margin of four goals, with the Blues showing an inability to fight back from deficits. Chelsea conceded a goal to Everton five minutes in, ultimately losing 2-1, while they were 2-1 down to Manchester City before halftime but couldn’t find an equalizer and fell behind against West Ham soon after the second half restart. The Blues are one of only two Premier League teams to have not registered a single point from a losing position this season, the other being Norwich City.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, is mired in an even worse stretch, having lost its last five in a row. The Cherries have conceded at least two goals in four of those five matches, with the defense completely gutted with injuries. Bournemouth saw a whopping eight players ruled out for Saturday’s match, including young defender Nathan Ake who has played every minute so far this league season until succumbing to a thigh injury 35 minutes into the defeat to Liverpool last weekend.
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Fellow center-back Steve Cook was also recently lost to a long-term injury, while Callum Wilson will also miss his first match thanks to a thigh problem of his own also suffered in the Liverpool loss.
Injuries/suspensions:
Chelsea – OUT: Fikayo Tomori (hip), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Achilles).
Bournemouth – OUT: Nathan Ake (thigh), Callum Wilson (thigh), Lloyd Kelly (thigh), David Brooks (ankle), Adam Smith (ankle), Steve Cook (hand), Junior Stanislas (knee), Charlie Daniels (knee). QUESTIONABLE – Joshua King (thigh).
Projected Lineups
Chelsea – Kepa; Emerson, Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta; Kovacic, Kante, Mount, Pulisic, Willian; Abraham.
Bournemouth – Ramsdale; Rico, Simpson, Mepham, Francis; Lerma, Billing, Gosling, Fraser, Wilson; Solanke.
What they’re saying
Chelsea manager Lampard on tough recent results: “If you don’t perform at the levels, you don’t do the basics that you have been doing all season, then any team in the Premier League can beat you. Bournemouth are having a tough time but there’s no doubt that they have talent and ability in their squad to beat us if we are not at it.”
[ MORE: JPW’s PL picks ]
Bournemouth winger Harry Wilson on Chelsea boss Lampard: “I owe Frank Lampard a lot. He was fantastic for me last season [at Derby County], probably the most important one in my career so far, the one where I played regular football. To play under a legend like him, he taught me a lot. I’m in regular contact with him and it’s great to see him doing so well at Chelsea now.”
Prediction
Chelsea has struggled of late, but their strength – attacking play – matches up well against Bournemouth’s big weakness at the moment. With Ake among the drove of injured Cherries, there will be no stopping the Blues who will put a bushel of goals past Aaron Ramsdale. A 4-1 victory will return faith in the Frank Lampard youth movement.
