Chelsea host high-flying AFC Bournemouth on January 14 for their mouth-watering Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are looking to bounce back from a miserable festive period that saw them drop off from second place, when they were considered potential title contenders.
The mini-slump started when Everton held Chelsea to a goalless draw, nullifying the usually rampant Blues. Chelsea would then suffer a shock loss to West London rivals Fulham at home.
Chelsea transfer target Liam Delap piled on the misery with an unforgettable performance (plus a goal and assist) as Ipswich Town beat Enzo Maresca’s side 2-0.
The Blues need to respond, and will hope a convincing win against Bournemouth will contribute to a potential resurgence.
It will not be easy against a Bournemouth team beaming with confidence.
The Cherries have enjoyed a sensational start to the 2024/25 campaign, rising to seventh on the league table at the time of writing.
Andoni Iraola’s team has earned a reputation as giant slayers, claiming massive scalps against Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester City.
Chelsea escaped the Vitality Stadium with three points thanks to a Christopher Nkunku goal, but the Cherries left the game with their heads held high, knowing they deserved something from that game.
The stage is set for a blockbuster showdown between two sides eager for three points.
This one is a must-watch, and fans looking to catch the action live can grab Chelsea vs AFC Bournemouth tickets at Seatsnet.com, the ever-reliable ticket market.
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Many predicted Chelsea would struggle this season after another haphazard transfer window that saw the club sign more talents than ready-made first-team stars.
However, Maresca galvanised the team and had them punching above their weight in second place.
Unfortunately, their defensive organisation has continued to cost them points. No side in Europe’s top five leagues made more defensive errors than Chelsea (41) in 2024.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has played a critical role in that diabolical number. His stray long ball fell to Fulham, and they countered to score and beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca decided to start Filip Jorgensen for the next game against Ipswich Town, but his trailing leg handed Delap a penalty for the opening goal.
This young team needs to grow up fast as they bid to hold on to one of the UEFA Champions League spots. Qualification for Europe’s premier competition remains the goal, even though some fans were carried away by their 12-game unbeaten streak.
Maximum points against Bournemouth would put them back on course to seal Champions League football, but the Cherries know how to turn on the magic against the top six. They will provide a stern challenge.
Bournemouth are coming off an exhilarating 2-2 draw against Fulham that perfectly encapsulates their never-say-die mentality.
Fulham took the lead through Raul Jimenez, but Bournemouth found their way back into the game through big-money summer signing Evanilson.
In-form Fulham star Harry Wilson restored their lead, but Bournemouth refused to be beaten, scoring an 89th-minute equaliser to leave Craven Cottage with a point.
At the time of writing, Bournemouth have not lost a game since suffering defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion in November.
Since then, they have collected three points against Spurs, Ipswich, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Man United. They drew Fulham, Crystal Palace, and West Ham United in that run.
Bournemouth will back themselves to enact revenge against Chelsea following the loss earlier in the season. The wounded Blues are there for the taking, and the Cherries can rub salt in those injuries.
Head to Head
Chelsea have not lost any of their last six encounters with Bournemouth (W4, D2). The Cherries must be wondering what they need to do to get a deserved result against Chelsea.
Bournemouth were easily the better side in their last match at Stamford Bridge but still suffered a 2-1 loss. When they met in September, the Cherries should have taken a point but succumbed to a 1-0 loss.
The last time Bournemouth beat Chelsea was in 2019 when they stunned the home team at Stamford Bridge.
Before that game, they trashed Chelsea 4-0 despite the Blues being the overwhelming favourites. Bournemouth are long overdue for another win against Chelsea, and it could come on January 14.
Best XIs
Chelsea
Chelsea will be without defensive duo Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana. They are both dealing with lengthy injuries, but other than that, Maresca has a full squad to choose from.
Sanchez should start between the sticks despite his many egregious mistakes, and he will have Malo Gusto, Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, and Marc Cucurella just ahead of him.
The Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo tag team is the most expensive midfield pivot in the world. The South American duo will run the engine room while Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer, and Pedro Neto provide the attacking thrust.
Nicolas Jackson blanked in his last three matches at the time of writing and will hope to find his scoring boots when the Cherries roll into town.
(4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Sancho, Palmer, Neto; Jackson.
Bournemouth
Mark Travers will return to the XI, with Kepa Arrizabalaga unable to play against his parent club. Milos Kerkez and Max Aarons should take the full-back slots.
Dean Huijsen’s emergence at centre-half has been timely, with Marcos Senesi and Julian Araujo sidelined for months. The young Spaniard is set to partner Illia Zabarnyi at centre-back again.
Tyler Adams and Alex Scott (long-term) remain on the doctor’s table, so Ryan Christie and Lewis Cook will run the rule in the middle. Antoine Semenyo, Justin Kluivert, Dango Ouattara, and Evanilson are a menace for any rearguard in England. They can cause Chelsea plenty of damage.
(4-2-3-1): Travers; Aarons, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Cook; Semenyo, Kluivert, Ouattara; Evanilson.
Ticket Information
Fans eager to cheer on their favourite teams live can secure tickets through official club websites. For those seeking great deals, Seatsnet.com offers a reliable marketplace to find subsidised tickets for every Premier League fixture, ensuring you don’t miss out on the action.
How to Watch
In the United Kingdom, Premier League matches are broadcast live on Sky Sports, TNT Sports, and Amazon Prime Video, offering extensive coverage of the 2024/25 football season.
Sky Sports leads with 128 live fixtures, TNT Sports airs 52 games, and Amazon Prime Video streams 20 matches, providing fans multiple options to catch their favourite teams in action.
