Still seeking to solve their chronic inconsistent form, Tottenham Hotspur travel to the Vitality Stadium to take on Bournemouth in the Premier League on Thursday night.
The two teams meet for the first time since December 2023 when Spurs secured a 3-1 top-flight victory over the Cherries in North London.
Match preview
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After losing back-to-back Premier League games either side of the international break to Brentford (3-2) and Brighton & Hove Albion (2-1), Bournemouth returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion courtesy of a 4-2 success at Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.
Justin Kluivert became the first player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick of penalties, with Evanilson also etching his name into the history books as the first individual to win three penalties in a single PL match, while Milos Kerkez was also on the scoresheet as the Cherries celebrated their first top-flight away win since August.
Andoni Iraola's side currently sit 13th in the Premier League table with 18 points on the board, six points and three places better off than last season, and a victory over Spurs could see them shoot up the standings and above Thursday's opponents in eighth spot.
Bournemouth will welcome a return to the Vitality Stadium as they have won three of their last four Premier League home games, including two impressive victories over Arsenal (2-0) and Manchester City (2-1), although the aforementioned loss to Brighton did take place in front of their own fans just over a week ago.
The Cherries have struggled to get the better of Spurs as a Premier League club, as they have only won two of their 14 meetings in the top tier and lost both encounters last season by an aggregate score of 5-1.
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Since claiming a statement 4-0 victory away against Manchester City in the Premier League, Tottenham have been forced to settle for back-to-back draws against Roma and Fulham, despite leading in both matches.
Spurs conceded a 91st-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw at home to Roma in the Europa League last week, three days before sharing the spoils in a 1-1 Premier League draw with 10-man Fulham, with Brennan Johnson's opener cancelled out by Tom Cairney, who was later sent off in the closing stages.
Three wins, two draws and three defeats have been posted by Ange Postecoglou's inconsistent side across their last eight fixtures in all competitions, and they currently sit eighth in the Premier League table, six points behind the top four and eight behind both Chelsea and Arsenal in second and third respectively.
Finding the back of the net has not been an issue for Spurs, who are the Premier League's leading scorers this term - at the time of writing - with 28 goals in 13 matches, while they have failed to make the net ripple in just one of their last 24 top-flight games played outside of London - a 4-0 defeat at Newcastle United in April.
Tottenham - who have been drawn against non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup third round - may have been inconsistent on the road so far this season, winning four, drawing one and losing four of their nine away matches, but they will fancy their chances of success on Thursday as they have won 10 of their 14 Premier League meetings with Bournemouth; only against Swansea City (79%) do that have a higher win rate against a team they have faced at least 10 times in the division.
Team News
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Bournemouth trio Alex Scott (knee), Julian Araujo and Luis Sinisterra (both hamstring) all remain sidelined with injuries, while Lewis Cook is doubtful with a muscle problem that forced him to miss last weekend's win against Wolves.
The potential absence of Cook could see Iraola stick with Tyler Adams and Ryan Christie in centre-midfield, while Kluivert is set to retains his spot in a central role in behind striker Evanilson.
Antoine Semenyo also missed the win at Molineux through suspension, but the attacker is available for selection on Thursday and is expected to start on the right flank at the expense of David Brooks.
As for Tottenham, Rodrigo Bentancur will serve the third of his seven-game domestic suspension, while Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Cristian Romero (toe), Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, Wilson Odobert (all hamstring) and Mikey Moore (illness) all remain in the treatment room.
Archie Gray has "recovered well" after sustaining a knock/dead leg against Fulham, while Postecoglou is hopeful that Dominic Solanke will be fit to feature against his former club after missing last weekend's match through illness.
A return in attack for Solanke would likely see Timo Werner make way and would also allow Son Heung-min to move over to his favoured left flank, while Brennan Johnson is set to continue on the right as Dejan Kulusevski seeks to replace one of James Maddison, Pape Matar Sarr or Yves Bissouma in midfield.
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Kepa; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Adams, Christie; Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier; Evanilson
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Forster; Porro, Dragusin, Davies, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bissouma, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son
We say: Bournemouth 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham average 2.5 goals per game in the Premier League against Bournemouth (35 goals in 14 games), their highest rate against any other team they have faced at least 10 times in the division, and they will back themselves to have more joy in the final third against a Cherries side who have kept just one clean sheet all season (against Arsenal).
Bournemouth, who have scored at least twice in each of their least four matches, are also set to pose a threat in attack, especially with Semenyo returning, so we can envisage an entertaining, end-to-end contest being played out at the Vitality, one that may end with the spoils being shared.
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Oliver Thomas
