The festive Premier League football continues on Tuesday, as Chelsea return to domestic action at Stamford Bridge when they take on Bournemouth. There will be a desperate need for the Blues to get back on track, as they have gone five without a win in the Premier League.
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Graham Potter couldn’t have wished for a better start to his managerial reign at Chelsea, but the wheels certainly fell off before the break in play. The Blues went into the World Cup having lost their previous three fixtures in the Premier League, and they now sit eight points off the Champions League places coming into the restart.
However, there will still be confidence within the Blues ranks that they could get back on track and mount a serious challenge for the top-four. Potter will be looking to get the best out of his attacking players when the league resumes, as Chelsea come into this fixture having failed to score in their previous four in all competitions. That includes back-to-back 1-0 defeats against Newcastle United and Arsenal in their previous two league fixtures.
Gary O’Neil was appointed the full-time manager of Bournemouth during the international break, as he has navigated the Cherries to a place comfortably outside the bottom three. However, there is still a long way to go if they are to survive relegation this term, as they sit just three points above the drop zone. But, Bournemouth do come into this fixture after picking up a win in their previous league game against Everton.
The Cherries will still be looking for more at both ends of the field, as no side has conceded more goals so far this season. Meanwhile, Chelsea are one of just six teams in the Premier League that have scored fewer than the Cherries so far this term.
Chelsea vs Bournemouth Head to Head
Bournemouth actually come into this fixture with a relatively solid record against the Blues, as they have gone three without defeat against Chelsea. During that period, they have picked up two wins, which includes a 1-0 success at Stamford Bridge on their previous visit.
Chelsea vs Bournemouth Prediction
The pressure will be on Chelsea coming into this fixture, as they will desperately be looking to get back to winning ways. They need the victory to bridge the gap on the top-four, and we expect them to edge to three points against the Cherries.
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