Preview: Chelsea vs Bournemouth - prediction, team news, lineups

Chelsea and Bournemouth will both be desperate to round off 2025 with a win when they lock horns in Tuesday's meeting at Stamford Bridge.

The hosts failed to take anything from their recent meeting with Aston Villa, while Bournemouth were heavily beaten in their away clash against Brentford. 

Match preview

Chelsea are at risk of finishing the calendar year on a sour note after giving up a slender advantage in Saturday's 2-1 defeat against third-placed Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. 

Joao Pedro scored in a second successive Premier League game to give his side a narrow lead at the break, but the Blues ultimately had no response to Ollie Watkins's imperious display from the bench, as the forward netted a 21-minute brace to end Chelsea's four-game unbeaten home run.

As a result, Chelsea slipped behind Liverpool and down to fifth position, with only goal difference keeping them above Manchester United in the Premier League table.

Enzo Maresca, who served a touchline ban at the weekend, will be concerned by the fact that his team have now won just one of their previous five Premier League matches (D3, L2), including a goalless draw in the reverse fixture against Bournemouth earlier this month. 

With Chelsea set to face an opponent twice in the same month for the first time since 1998, they will take some confidence from the fact that they have won two of their previous three home games against Bournemouth, although they required a 95th-minute equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw from January's meeting at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues tend to fare well when they finish a calendar year in front of their own supporters, having won 13, drawn eight and lost just one of their last 22 year-ending home games (L1).

© Imago / Pro Sports Images

There was plenty of excitement surrounding Bournemouth after they finished October in second place with five wins, three draws and just one defeat from their opening nine Premier League games. 

However, the Cherries have since experienced a significant drop-off in form, mustering just four points in a nine-game winless run since claiming their most recent win over Nottingham Forest on October 26. 

The coast side suffered arguably their worst result of the season in Saturday's away clash against Brentford, with Antoine Semenyo scoring a mere consolation in a heavy 4-1 loss, extending their five-game losing run in meetings with the Bees.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola will be concerned by the fact that his team have the Premier League's worst defensive away record with 27 goals shipped in nine road trips, especially as they are set to face the division's joint fourth-highest scorers. 

The Cherries backline will surely have to tighten up if Tuesday's visitors are to have any chance of beating Chelsea for the first time since Dan Gosling scored an 84th-minute winner in a 1-0 success at Stamford Bridge in December 2019.

Their hopes of achieving that objective will not be boosted by a return of just one win from their last seven year-ending league matches (D1, L5). 

Chelsea Premier League form:

Chelsea form (all competitions):

Bournemouth Premier League form:

Bournemouth form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / News Images

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill is continuing to work on his rehabilitation from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, while the midfield duo of Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia remained sidelined with thigh problems.

The hosts face a nervous wait to establish the extent of Marc Cucurella's injury after the left-back was withdrawn in the second half of Saturday's defeat with a hamstring complaint.

Malo Gusto, who replaced Cucurella against Aston Villa, is likely to make his 11th start of the Premier League season if the Spaniard is unfit to play, especially as the alternative option of Jorrel Hato is a doubt after being absent from Saturday's squad. 

There could also be a change in central defence, with Wesley Fofana pushing to take Benoit Badiashile's spot as Trevoh Chalobah's centre-back partner. 

Meanwhile, Iraola confirmed earlier this month that Tyler Adams will miss two to three months after he sustained an MCL injury in the 4-4 draw against Manchester United.

Adams is joined on Bournemouth's injury list by attacker Ben Gannon-Doak and the defensive duo of Veljko Milosavljevic and Matai Akinmboni. 

Alex Scott will be hoping to shake any injury concerns after being withdrawn in the latter stages of Saturday's defeat to Brentford.

David Brooks, Justin Kluivert and Evanilson all featured as a half-timte subsitutes at the Gtech Community Stadium, putting them in contention to start against Chelsea. 

Chelsea possible starting lineup:

Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Gusto; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Pedro

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:

Petrovic; Jimenez, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Cook; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson

We say: Chelsea 3-1 Bournemouth

Chelsea were unable to break down Bournemouth's defence in the goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium earlier this month, but the Cherries have a nasty habit of leaking goals on their travels, and with that in mind, we think the home side's attacking talent will take advantage of any weaknesses to claim a comfortable victory. 

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