Chelsea, under the management of Mauricio Pochettino, have had a mixed start to the season.
While they put up an impressive display against Liverpool on the opening day, subsequent results have been disappointing.
They suffered a 3-1 loss to West Ham, followed by a win against Luton Town and another defeat at home to Nottingham Forest.
Their recent 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest was particularly frustrating, resembling their struggles from last season, where they controlled the game but failed to score while giving their opponents an easy opportunity at the other end.
Currently, Pochettino’s team sits 12th on the table with just four points from a possible 12.
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The Blues are eager to get back to winning ways, especially after conceding the opening goal in four of their five matches in all competitions this season.
Anything less than a win in the upcoming match on the south coast could push the club into another crisis, even though it’s acknowledged that the squad changes made over the summer would naturally require some time to fully integrate.
Bournemouth vs Chelsea: Head-to-head
Historically, Chelsea have had the upper hand against Bournemouth, winning seven and drawing one of their 12 matches against them.
Despite their struggles last season, Chelsea managed to complete a league double over Bournemouth, and Pochettino hopes for a similar outcome after the international break.
Total matches: 19
Bournemouth: 5 wins
Draw: 1
Chelsea: 13 wins
Bournemouth vs Chelsea: Team News
Lewis Cook is back in action for Bournemouth after recovering from an injury he sustained against Brentford before the international break. Additionally, Adam Smith and Marcus Tavernier have returned to training.
Luis Sinisterra and Tyler Adams might make their debuts for Bournemouth, with Adams having been close to signing with Chelsea previously.
Next up, #BouChe! 👊 pic.twitter.com/mUh2mw7Y2r
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 14, 2023
Chelsea still have several players on the injury list. Reece James is nearing a return, and Armando Broja is expected to be on the bench for Sunday’s match.
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Mykhailo Mudryk is likely to be fit as well. However, Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, and Benoit Badiashile are some of the players who won’t be involved.
Our Final Scoreline: Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea
Chelsea are aiming for better results after a victory at the Vitality Stadium in May, as they have faced three consecutive away losses and have only managed to collect nine league points on the road this year.
Consequently, Bournemouth will seek to exploit a defence that has only kept one clean sheet in all competitions this season.
While Iraola’s side has witnessed 12 goals in their four games, they have conceded eight of them. The Blues will try to outscore them, given their recent unbeaten streak in the last three head-to-head encounters.
