Preview: Bournemouth vs. Wycombe Wanderers - prediction, team news, lineups

Bournemouth welcome Wycombe Wanderers to the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday evening looking to strengthen their hold of second spot in the Championship standings.

Meanwhile, the visitors make the trip to the South Coast on the back of eight matches without success, a run which has kept the club two points adrift of safety.

Match preview

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Failure to defeat either Rotherham United or Preston North End left Bournemouth needing to show their mental toughness for the first time since dropping down from the Premier League.

Three games later and the Cherries have recorded a further seven points and nine goals, easing any concerns that Jason Tindall may have had about the progression of his squad.

While three successive clean sheets is a welcome bonus, the manner in which Bournemouth have dispatched of Barnsley and Huddersfield Town will fill Tindall with confidence ahead of the Christmas period.

Dominic Solanke is emerging as one of the players of the season, contributing eight goals and four assists as he finally begins to justify his £19m price-tag.

However, with David Brooks and Sam Surridge also getting in on the act on a regular basis, Tindall is no longer relying heavily on the one-cap England international to fire the club back into the top flight.

A few weeks ago, Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth would have viewed this contest as an opportunity to cause one of the biggest surprises in the EFL this season.

Eight games without success, with their last win coming on November 4, will likely have changed his mindset as the Chairboys desperately search for an upturn in results.

While it has been almost three months since the division's minnows conceded more than twice in a match, they have looked far more susceptible in games against Preston North End, Barnsley and Coventry City.

Ainsworth would have felt that his squad were capable of claiming at least one win from that run of fixtures, but posting just a point from a possible nine has put his team on the back foot ahead of one of their toughest tests of the campaign.

Bournemouth Championship form: WDLWDW

Wycombe Wanderers Championship form: DDLDLL

Team News

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Ainsworth is likely to hand starts to Scott Kashket, Garath McCleary and Adebayo Akinfenwa after their appearance among the replacements at the weekend.

Depending on his choice of formation, the trio could come in as straight alternatives to the front three which featured against Coventry.

Tindall may freshen up his Bournemouth midfield by handing a recall to Dan Gosling, possibly in place of Jefferson Lerma.

Having taken the chance to rest players in the second half on Saturday, the remainder of the team could stay the same.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup: Begovic; S.Cook, Simpson, Kelly; Smith, Gosling, L.Cook, Billing, Stanislas; Brooks, Solanke

Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup: Allsop; Grimmer, Knight, McCarthy, Jacobson; Gape, Bloomfield, Pattison; Kashket, Akinfenwa, McCleary

We say: Bournemouth 3-0 Wycombe Wanderers

All things considered, Wycombe have a respectable defensive record given their status in this division. However, they are likely to be outclassed in this encounter as Bournemouth look to continue their impressive showings in the final third.

Top betting tip