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

Bournemouth play host to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon having put together a four-match unbeaten streak at the Vitality Stadium.

However, Nuno Espirito Santo's team make the trip to the south coast having avoided defeat in each of their last four away fixtures in the top flight.

Match preview

While Bournemouth have won just one of their last six games in the Premier League, Eddie Howe will remain satisfied that his side are in contention in the top half of the standings ahead of a hectic winter period.

With the Cherries just one point adrift of fifth-placed Sheffield United, there will be an acknowledgement that they could have been sitting higher in the table, but a fixture against a team who are just one goal better off provides the club with an opportunity to make significant headway.

The 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United before the international break ended a run of three consecutive clean sheets, although Howe will consider it to be a minor blip in what has, so far, been a season of improvement.

Bournemouth began the campaign with two poor performances in front of their own supporters, but eight points have since been recorded from games against Everton, West Ham United, Norwich City and Manchester United respectively.

As for Wolves, the break in an unrelenting schedule came at a time when they had extended their top-flight unbeaten run to seven matches with a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.

Nevertheless, Nuno would have felt that his players were due a breather after their efforts on both the domestic and European scene since the middle of July.

Like with counterpart Howe, Nuno will be happy enough with how his squad have fared in the Premier League this season, while also believing that Wolves should be sitting in fifth place rather than the Blades.

While this is not one of the standout fixtures of the weekend, it is one which could make or break a season with a defeat for either team potentially seeing them drop as many as half-a-dozen positions.

Bournemouth form: DLDDWL

Wolverhampton Wanderers form: WDLDWW

Team News

With Raul Jimenez having represented Mexico in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Nuno must decide whether to risk the fitness of the in-form forward.

Having impressed for Italy Under-21s, Patrick Cutrone may be given an opportunity to partner Diogo Jota in attack, while Adama Traore will hope to have shaken off a hamstring strain.

Ryan Bennett could come back into the backline, with Leander Dendoncker potentially being moved into midfield in place of Ruben Neves.

Jefferson Lerma should replace Lewis Cook in the Bournemouth midfield after serving a one-match suspension for five yellow cards.

However, Joshua King is regarded as a major doubt after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty with Norway.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup: Ramsdale; A.Smith, S.Cook, Ake, Rico; H.Wilson, Lerma, Billing, Fraser; Solanke, C.Wilson

Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup: Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Saiss; Doherty, Dendoncker, Moutinho, Jonny; Traore, Cutrone, Jota

We say: Bournemouth 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

While we are expecting a closely-fought encounter at the Vitality Stadium, we feel that Bournemouth will be fresher with their players having done less travelling during the international break. With that in mind, we are predicting a narrow victory for the Cherries.