Preview: Oldham Athletic vs. Bournemouth - prediction, team news, lineups

Oldham Athletic manager Harry Kewell is keen to "create a bit of magic" and cause an upset in the FA Cup third round this weekend when his team host Bournemouth. There are 59 league places between the Latics, who are 14th in League Two, and the Cherries, who sit third in the Championship.

Match preview

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When Kewell was appointed as Oldham manager in August, he became the club's fifth manager in the space of a year. After picking up just one point from his first five games, he has begun to turn things around and the Latics are now in midtable – seven points above the relegation zone and seven points behind the playoffs.

The team's home form is a concern, though, winning just three games at Boundary Park so far this season, while only Harrogate Town have picked up fewer points at home in League Two.

Scoring goals is not an issue for the Greater Manchester outfit as only two clubs have netted more in the league but at the other end they have conceded the joint-most in the division, and a 0-0 draw with Grimsby Town just after Christmas was their first clean sheet of the season. Their clash with Forest Green Rovers last weekend was abandoned in the second half due to fog, with the score 1-1 at the time.

This is only the second time in the last seven seasons that Oldham have reached the FA Cup third round, having beaten Hampton & Richmond Borough and Bradford City – both away from home – in the competition so far this campaign.

A recent study by BetVictor revealed that the Latics were the cup's biggest 'giant killers' in the last 25 years, having previously claimed scalps against Manchester City, Liverpool and two years ago against Fulham; they have never won the trophy but have reached the semi-finals on three occasions, most recently in 1994.

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The furthest that Bournemouth have progressed is the quarter-finals, but the last time they reached that stage was in 1957 when they were known as Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.

The Cherries were knocked out by Arsenal in round four last season and are unlikely to place too much emphasis on the competition this year as they aim to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Jason Tindall's promotion push is going well so far as the club are just two points behind second place Swansea City with a game in hand.

They won 1-0 away at Stoke City last weekend thanks to Junior Stanislas's goal but that was only their fourth victory from 13 games on the road this season. Oldham and Bournemouth were regular opponents in the early 2000s when they were both in the third tier but have not met since 2013, when the Cherries won promotion to the Championship.

Oldham Athletic FA Cup form: WLWLWW Oldham Athletic form (all competitions): WWLWLD

Bournemouth FA Cup form: LDLLWL Bournemouth form (all competitions): DWWDLW

Team News

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Cameron Borthwick-Jackson missed Oldham's abandoned game with Forest Green but is expected to return on Saturday, while Alfie McCalmont, who was forced off through injury in that match, should also be fine to play.

Striker Danny Rowe could come in for his first appearance since injury sidelined him at the start of December, but Bobby Grant remains suspended following his red card against Harrogate on Boxing Day.

With Bournemouth's postponed Boxing Day Championship fixture against Millwall rearranged for next Tuesday, Tindall could decide to rotate his team for this game.

There could be a rare start for Sam Surridge, who scored for Oldham when they caused an upset to knock out Fulham in the FA Cup third round two years ago.

Adam Smith will be assessed ahead of the game after coming off injured in the latter stages of last weekend's match against Stoke, as will Philip Billing, who was absent for the trip to the bet365 Stadium.

Oldham Athletic possible starting lineup: Lawlor; Fage, Clarke, Piergianni, Borthwick-Jackson; Bahamboula, Ntambwe, Garrity, McAleny; Rowe, Dearnley

Bournemouth possible starting lineup: Begovic; Zemura, Cook, Simpson, Kelly, Rico; Kilkenny, Gosling, Billing; King, Surridge

We say: Oldham Athletic 1-2 Bournemouth

There is certainly potential for a shock here, given that Bournemouth are unlikely to place too much emphasis on the FA Cup this season. However, Tindall will be keen to keep momentum going with a win, and the Cherries should sneak through against an Oldham side who have proven to be inconsistent this season.

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