Preview: Bournemouth vs. Sunderland - prediction, team news, lineups

Unbeaten in the league since early January, Bournemouth welcome an out-of-form Sunderland side sitting four places below them in the Premier League table, aiming to clinch victory in Saturday’s gameweek 28 match.

The visiting Black Cats have fallen to three straight defeats — as many as they lost in the previous 12 — highlighting the uphill challenge facing Regis Le Bris’s team ahead of this weekend’s visit to one of the division’s in-form sides.

Match preview

Although they have played out two stalemates in their last three games, Bournemouth’s recent goalless encounter with West Ham United marked the Cherries’ 11th draw of the season.

No other side in the division have drawn as many games in the 2025-26 season, which possibly explains why Andoni Iraola’s men are not closer to fifth-placed Chelsea, whom they trail by seven points in the table.

While they are undoubtedly outsiders for a top-five berth, with England likely to gain an additional Champions League spot, Bournemouth’s ongoing unbeaten spell is doing their prospects of a potential debut in Europe’s premier competition no harm.

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Only Manchester City and Manchester United (both 13 points) have accumulated more points than the Cherries’ 11 across the past five gameweeks — a tally matched by title favourites Arsenal and Chelsea heading into this weekend’s round — with Iraola’s men conceding four goals in that period, level with City and the Gunners.

Having collected seven points from the last nine available at the Vitality Stadium since their 3-2 defeat to Arsenal at the start of the year — a run that includes 3-2 victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool and a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa — Bournemouth now aim to go four home games unbeaten for the second time this season.

They previously managed a five-match unbeaten home streak, comprising three wins and two draws, from mid-September to late November, and the prospect of another positive result this weekend seems likely considering the away side’s ongoing wobble.

Despite Granit Xhaka’s return last time out, the Black Cats could not avoid back-to-back losses at the Stadium of Light and a third consecutive defeat overall, the promoted outfit’s worst run since regaining their top-flight status.

Those defeats to Arsenal (3-0), Liverpool (1-0) and Fulham (3-1) have not dampened the mood on Wearside, where supporters have seen their side overperform after 27 rounds, all but securing their place in the top flight for at least another season.

Although Le Bris’s team are not mathematically safe, an 11-point lead over West Ham is a healthy enough buffer for the Black Cats, barring any unforeseen collapse in the final third of their top-flight return.

With no pressure on their Premier League status, Le Bris can focus on halting his team’s losing run as they strive to avoid another setback.

However, a miserable away record does not bode well for the travelling fans, who have witnessed just two wins from 13 league games on the road, with Sunderland scoring a league-low six and conceding 20.

Heading into this weekend on the back of three successive away defeats — 3-0 losses at Brentford and Arsenal and a 3-1 reverse at West Ham — Le Bris hopes to oversee the club’s first triumph on the road since October’s 2-1 success at Chelsea.

Bournemouth Premier League form:

Sunderland Premier League form:

Sunderland form (all competitions):

Team News

Tyler Adams came through his first start since December 2 unscathed, and the midfielder could feature from the off when the Black Cats visit, having scored in November’s reverse fixture, which the Cherries lost 3-2.

Despite coming through last weekend without fresh injury worries, Iraola’s men are still without Justin Kluivert (knee), Ben Gannon-Doak (thigh) and Julio Soler, while Lewis Cook’s hamstring problem will be assessed.

Despite playing out their third goalless game last time out — only Crystal Palace and Newcastle United (four each) have more — Eli Junior Kroupi aims to get back among the goals, having scored eight league goals from 26 shots this term.

Although Rayan could not become the first teenager to score or assist in each of their first four league appearances, the 19-year-old winger is expected to start on Saturday, aiming to add to his two goals and one assist since joining last month.

Le Bris, meanwhile, must decide on Xhaka this weekend, having only had his captain available as a second-half substitute for Habib Diarra.

Compounding their woes were the in-game injuries suffered by Nordi Mukiele, Jocelin Ta Bi and Brian Brobbey, and all three will be evaluated heading into Saturday.

If they are absent, then Le Bris could have as many as six players unavailable, with Romaine Mundle (thigh), Dennis Cirkin (thigh) and Reinildo Mandava (knee) expected to miss out.

With Brobbey having scored two of the Black Cats’ six away goals, accounting for 33.3% of their efforts on the road, the forward’s potential absence would be a significant blow.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:

Petrovic; Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Adams, Scott; Rayan, Kroupi, Adli; Evanilson

Sunderland possible starting lineup:

Roefs; Geertruida, Ballard, Alderete, Hume; Sadiki, Xhaka; Talbi, Le Fee, Angulo; Isidor

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We say: Bournemouth 2-0 Sunderland

Sunderland have conceded three goals in each of their last three away matches, with those nine accounting for nearly half of the 20 they have let in on their travels.

An in-form Bournemouth side should take advantage of the Black Cats’ ongoing defensive frailties away from Wearside, while the visitors’ goal-shy nature on the road further underlines the Cherries’ status as favourites for a win on Saturday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.