Sunderland vs. Bournemouth: Head-to-head record and past meetings

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 11

Draws: 3

Sunderland and Bournemouth have only ever faced each other 11 times across all competitions, and it is the Black Cats who marginally lead the overall head-to-head record having posted six wins to the Cherries' two, while three draws have also been played out between the two clubs.

These two teams first butted heads in the old Division Two back in August 1988, with the spoils shared in a 1-1 draw at Roker Park. Five months later, Sunderland travelled down to Dean Court and Denis Smith's men claimed a narrow 1-0 away win over Harry Redknapp's Bournemouth.

Sunderland also celebrated three wins against Bournemouth the following season (1989-90), including a league double over the Cherries (3-2 at home and 1-0 away), and a third-round EFL Cup triumph that saw them win the replay 1-0 on the road after initially drawing 1-1 on their own turf.

Bournemouth had to wait until September 2015 - their debut campaign in the Premier League - to celebrate their first ever victory over Sunderland, a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium courtesy of early goals from Callum Wilson and Matt Ritchie.

Four months later, the Black Cats came from behind to rescue a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light, with Benik Afobe's early opener cancelled out by a strike on the stroke of half time from Patrick van Aanholt.

Sunderland then claimed a 2-1 away victory in November 2016, thanks to efforts from Victor Anichebe and Jermain Defoe, but Bournemouth got their revenge in April 2017, when Josh King silenced the Stadium of Light with an 88th-minute goal in a slender 1-0 success.

However, while the games were coming thick and fast, the Black Cats' relegation and subsequent eight-year absence from the Premier League meant a lengthy hiatus for this matchup, and it was not until November 2025 that Regis Le Bris's side welcomed the Cherries back to Wearside.

Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth raced into a two-goal lead that day, including a spectacular long-ranger from the centre circle by Tyler Adams, but, inspired by Enzo Le Fee, Sunderland fought back to win 3-2 and remarkably climb into the top four.