Match preview
Chelsea will look to bounce back from a slump in form that has seen them take two points from four Premier League games when they host Bournemouth on Tuesday.
Enzo Maresca’s side fell four points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest after surprise defeats at home against Fulham and away to Ipswich Town between draws against Everton and Crystal Palace.
Maresca is consistently keen to play down talk that Chelsea were ever title contenders this season, with fifth-placed Newcastle now a point behind his side and Manchester City a point below the Magpies.
Seventh-placed Bournemouth would go level on points with Chelsea with a win and their confidence should be high after going a record eight Premier League games without defeat thanks to a 1-0 home win against Everton on January 4.
#CHEBOU preparations. ⏳ pic.twitter.com/9KRadUewpJ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 13, 2025
Andoni Iraola’s Cherries strengthen their European qualification hopes with each passing week, their five wins in those eight games including a home win against Tottenham and Defeat Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford for the second consecutive season.
The Spaniard says Bournemouth “must be better” than they were in their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on September 14, when they had seven of 10 attempts on goal between the teams but were beaten by Christopher Nkunku’s 86th-minute goal.
We will need a very, very good performance, Iraola said. “We’ll probably have to improve our finishing. It is not difficult to understand what [Chelsea] make, [but] they are hard to stop.
“It will be a challenge for us, but hopefully also for them, because we have good threats.”
Eden loved the goal against Bournemouth. 😍#CHEBOU 🔜 pic.twitter.com/EcMOtkkVbh
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 13, 2025
Maresca described Bournemouth as “very tough” and attributed their success to “a press with real intensity that makes it difficult for teams”.
“They always try to be intense and it’s quite clear what they do on and off the ball,” he noted. “They are direct, physically very strong and fast.”
Chelsea vs Bournemouth team news
Wideman Reece James and midfielder Romeo Lavia returned for 45 minutes following Chelsea’s 5-0 FA Cup win at home to fourth-tier Morecambe on Saturday, with Maresca saying both players are ready to play against Bournemouth.
The Italian added that English striker Noni Madueke has returned to action after illness. Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is a question mark after missing the defeat to The Shrimps, while Benoit Badiashile has a thigh problem and fellow centre-back Wesley Fofana may not play again this season with a hamstring injury.
We can confirm that Max Aarons has completed his loan to Valencia 🤝 pic.twitter.com/rTaYMwWpmM
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) January 13, 2025
Bournemouth’s forwards seem cursed since the start of the year, with Evanilson breaking a bone in his foot against Everton and Enes Unal suffering the second serious knee injury of his career in training last week.
Daniel Jebbison is now Iraola’s only senior striker and the 21-year-old picked a good time to score his first goal of the season in their 5-1 FA Cup win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday after being recalled from his loan spell at Watford.
The former England youth international did not score in his first 16 games of the 2024/25 season. in the Championship and Premier League, although only four of them were starting players.
On-loan Kepa Arrizabalaga, whose £71.6m move from Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea in 2018 still makes him the most expensive goalkeeper in history, is ineligible to play against his parent club, while new defender Julio Soler is on Argentina U-20 duty.
There is better news in midfield, where Iraola confirmed it Ryan Christie is in competition after missing the visit of West Brom.
This team move 😮💨🌪️ pic.twitter.com/NmHDkgqN2M
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) January 12, 2025
Chelsea vs. Bournemouth eexpected compositions
Chelsea: Sánchez; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Bournemouth: Travers; Hill, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Cook; Semenyo, Kluivert, Brooks; Ouattara
