Bournemouth have recorded a 1-0 win over Leicester City to move into eighth place in the Premier League table.
Marc Pugh's first-half strike proved enough as the Cherries recorded their third success in five matches, but it left Leicester still looking behind them towards the relegation zone.
The defending champions had been on a high after their 4-2 triumph over Manchester City but they only posed a threat to the home side during the remaining 30 minutes on Tuesday night.
Read below to see how the action unfolded at the Vitality Stadium.
Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Bournemouth and Leicester City.
It was just seven months ago when Leicester City were shocking the footballing world with the most famous league title win in history and Bournemouth were content with securing their status in the top flight for another 12 months but we head into tonight's fixture with the Cherries sitting above the Foxes. Who would have predicted that?! However, they come into this match on the back of contrasting results at the weekend so it should be an interesting contest on the South Coast.
This game comes just a few days since Bournemouth announced that they would be searching for a site to build a new stadium but they certainly reap the benefits from playing at such a small ground in the top flight. There will be just 12,000 in attendance this evening but the tight pitch and intimidating atmosphere - to an extent - make this a proper old-school setup and it sometimes takes visiting teams by surprise.
Anyway, without further ado, let's get cracking with the team news. Both managers had important decisions to make with just the three-day turnaround.
BOURNEMOUTH XI: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Ake, Daniels, A.Smith, Arter, Wilshere, Pugh, King, Afobe
BOURNEMOUTH SUBSTITUTES: Federici, Mings, B.Smith, Gosling, Ibe, Gradel, Wilson
LEICESTER CITY XI: Zieler, Hernández, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Albrighton, King, Amartey, Mahrez, Vardy, Slimani
LEICESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Chilwell, Musa, Hamer, Okazaki, Gray, Ulloa, Mendy
The main decision for Eddie Howe was whether to recall Jack Wilshere and he has opted to bring the Arsenal loanee back into his midfield. Howe has also decided to start Callum Wilson on the bench, with Joshua King coming into the starting lineup. Benik Afobe gets another start after scoring his first goal of the season against Burnley.
As for Leicester, Claudio Ranieri makes just the one alteration to the team which got the better of Manchester City. It sees Luis Hernandez given the nod over Danny Simpson at right-back. Danny Drinkwater had been in contention to return after serving a three-match suspension but he is not involved, presumably as a result of the injury he picked up in Porto last week. It means Leicester go with the trio of Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and Islam Slimani in attack - it's another bold selection from Ranieri.
There aren't rally any surprises in those lineups. Howe probably dropped Wilshere at the weekend with this fixture in mind, while Afobe was always likely to start, despite not playing as much football in the space of three days in quite some time. Ranieri may have considered bringing in Shinji Okazaki but he could not really drop anyone who contributed to the 4-2 triumph over Manchester City. Simpson only misses through suspension.
HEAD TO HEAD! Tonight's fixture represents just the 12th time in which these two teams have faced each other in a competitive match, with Leicester winning six times in comparison to three victories for Bournemouth. Four of those meetings have come in the last three years with the East Midlands outfit remaining undefeated during that time. Bournemouth have not had success over the Foxes since 1989.
Last season, there were only two teams who went through the season without losing to Leicester - one was Arsenal and surprisingly, the other was Bournemouth, who registered draws both home and away. The 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium back in August 2015 was a likely result but Bournemouth shocked many by registering a goalless draw with Leicester at the King Power Stadium in their first encounter of 2016.
If you take a look at our Stat Centre, you will see that both teams sit far down the form table but that doesn't necessarily represent how they have fared in their recent games. In fact, with Bournemouth seeing off Liverpool at the start of the month and Leicester thrashing Manchester City, there's an argument that these two clubs should be full of confidence heading into this match.
The return of Wilshere will no doubt get the headlines but it's two strikers who dominate the team news tonight.
Until last weekend, Afobe had not scored a goal since March 1 - a running spanning 19 matches. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers frontman had not been featuring on a regular basis but to go that long with netting must have tested his patience. It's a credit to both himself and Howe that he got his chance at the weekend and he will now feel in a position where he can justify his £10m price-tag.
Vardy also experienced a similar sort of relief when he notched his first goal against City. He had gone 16 games without scoring for his team but in a much shorter space of time. That are probably positives and negatives to that but the important thing was he got back to basics and looked the instinctive forward he was last season. Bournemouth have leaked goals in recent weeks and there is no doubting that Vardy will be pushing their defence to the limit tonight.
Before you get my prediction for this game, let me point you in the direction of another as we are also covering the match between Everton and Arsenal. The Gunenrs can go back to the top of the table with a win at Goodison Park. Click here to keep up-to-date with that match.
PREDICTION! Now that Leicester have got one win under their belt, I think we have to back them to get a few more. Bournemouth won't be easy opposition and they are always going to be a threat in front of their home supporters but Ranieri has selected his three best players in the final third and that is likely to lead to a few goals. Leicester to prevail by a 3-1 scoreline.
It's time for the two teams to make their way out at the Vitality Stadium. I'm expecting an entertaining showdown between these sides. It can only produce several goals, can't it...?
Bournemouth get us underway on the South Coast.
The home side have had most of the possession during the early stages but all they have to show for their efforts is a cross from Daniels which narrowly missed Smith at the back post. Leicester are looking to play on the break but have had little success so far.
Bournemouth win the first corner of the match and after playing it short, it causes some trouble in the Leicester defence. A Bournemouth player gets a head to the ball when it is eventually crossed towards the back post but Leicester are able to clear.
CHANCE! Vardy breaks clear of the Bournemouth defence and manages to poke the ball around Boruc. However, which he is able to retrieve the ball to get a shot on goal, he has gone too wide and his shot is diverted away for a corner.
After that brief scare, Bournemouth have managed to get their foot back on the ball but despite Leicester's expansive formation, they are struggling to find space inside the final third. A few passes have been played towards Afobe but they have only bounced off the striker.
Despite Bournemouth's dominance of possession, Leicester are causing problems when Vardy is released down the left flank. The Foxes are looking for that ball over the right-back to give Vardy the chance to run in behind and cut inside. It only seems a matter of time before it works.
We are having a bit of a lull in this match. There are plenty of passes being sprayed about but they aren't coming to nothing. I will take the blame for the lack of chances. I shouldn't have said that I had high hopes for this match...
SHOT! That's much better. Wilshere has barely featured in an attacking sense but he gets a solid effort on target, with Zieler having to move to his left to claim the ball.
I've lost count of the amount of passes which Afobe has failed to control tonight. He can obviously finish a chance but his hold-up play has been dreadful. He's need to improve or we can expect to see Callum Wilson in the second half.
Bournemouth are still being patient but a through-ball to King catches the Foxes defence by surprise. The winger is able to get his cross into the middle but the defender is well placed to head behind for a corner. More encouraging signs from the home team, although they still seem to be lacking a cutting edge.
It's Leicester's turn to force a corner after Francis is forced to head a long throw behind. It's a poor delivery, however, and Bournemouth are eventually able to hack clear. We've not seen much of Mahrez or Slimani.
GOAL! Bournemouth 1-0 Leicester City (Pugh)
Bournemouth take the lead! A fine move ends with a cross finding Afobe, who forces an excellent save out of Zieler. However, the ball goes in the direction of Pugh and his first-time volley finds the corner via Zieler. The goalkeeper should probably do better but it's great technique from the midfielder.
Moments before that, Huth had sent a half-volley wide from inside the penalty area.
BOOKING! King is the first man into the book for a foul in the centre of the pitch.
Since the goal, Leicester have started to put a bit more pressure on the Bournemouth defence. The long-throws from Hernandez or a Mahrez cross seem to be their best hope but nothing has come from them so far. It's worth noting that Huth is having some joy from set pieces.
I think Bournemouth are just intent on seeing out this half now. Leicester are having more of the ball but as usual, it doesn't necessarily play into their hands. Ake is having another fine game for Bournemouth.
There will be one minute of added-on time.
HALF TIME: Bournemouth 1-0 Leicester City
The half-time whistle goes at the Vitality Stadium and Bournemouth lead thanks to that terrific strike from Pugh. It was one of the few chances to be created during that opening 45 minutes but I'd assume we will see a much more exciting second half. Don't be surprised to see Ranieri tinker with his team at the break. They could do with Shinji Okazaki on the pitch.
We are back underway at the Vitality Stadium.
Bournemouth have come right out of the gate at the start of this second half. King is looking to set the pace and after seeing a shot blocked, he chased down the defender to make the tackle.
At half time, Ranieri took the opportunity to bring on Okazaki for Slimani. It may seem an odd move to take off a forward when your team is behind but the introduction of the Japanese player should add some balance to Leicester's attack.
CHANCE! Most of Bournemouth's joy has come down the right flank and that continues here as Francis crosses for Smith, who controls the ball before firing a shot on goal. Zieler looks beaten but his effort goes over the far top corner.
Since that chance, Bournemouth have made Leicester to some chasing. They are looking increasingly comfortable here. You can never switch off against the likes of Mahrez and Vardy but so far, Bournemouth are coping well.
I mentioned in the first half that Afobe is probably a prime candidate to be substituted around the hour mark and my opinion hasn't changed. He's not been seen since the restart. Callum Wilson would add an extra dimension to the Cherries.
CHANCE! It was a difficult chance but King will probably be a tad disappointed with this. An inswinging cross found the head of the Welshman but he was only able to flick it over the far post.
There hasn't been much change to the tempo of the game but Leicester are starting to build a head of steam. Bournemouth aren't under the cosh but they are having more defensive work to do than they were 10 minutes ago. They still aren't dealing with the long throws from Hernandez.
SUBSTITUTION! Here comes that substitution as Wilson takes the place of Afobe.
King hasn't given Fuchs a moments' peace all night and his tenacity almost leads to a second Bournemouth goal. His cross was directed towards the head of Wilson but Huth was able to head behind for a corner.
SUBSTITUTION! Ranieri decides to make his second change of the night with Ahmed Musa coming on for Albrighton.
Time is starting to run out for Leicester. Okazaki has directed a shot wide of the post but aside from that, they haven't really offered much threat. Bournemouth aren't settling for 1-0, either. They are still throwing men forward.
SUBSTITUTION! Ranieri recognises that he must go for this so he introduces Ulloa for Huth. The forward has been limited to opportunities like this all season but sooner rather than later, he will take one of them.
BOOKING! Morgan is the second Leicester player to go into the book after pulling back Wilshere. He can have no complaints with that.
CHANCE! How important could this block be? Okazaki think he is about to find the back of the net for his side but in comes Cook to get in front of the ball. He really wants to keep this clean sheet.
CHANCE! For the second time in the space of a few minutes, Leicester come desperately close to an equaliser. After Mahrez's free kick, Ulloa gets the chance from close range but he is somehow foiled by Boruc.
We are halfway through four minutes of added-on time. Wilson has been replaced by Mings after a bang to the head.
FULL TIME: Bournemouth 1-0 Leicester City
The full-time whistle goes at the Vitality Stadium and Bournemouth have held on to record an excellent win over Leicester. It wasn't the greatest of games but the home side put in the kind of performance which suggests that they should comfortably remain in the top flight this season.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this game. Thank you for joining us this evening and we hope to see you again for the remaining eight Premier League matches tomorrow evening. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
