English Premier League: Chelsea vs Bournemouth - ORSOLTECH

Preview the match

Chelsea seeks to recover from its decline in form, which has collected two points from four matches in the English Premier League, when it hosts Bournemouth on Tuesday.

Coach Enzo Maresca's team fell four points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest after surprise defeats At home against Fulham He leaves for Ipswich Town between draws with Everton and Crystal Palace.

Maresca is constantly keen to play down talk that Chelsea have been title contenders this season, with fifth-placed Newcastle now one point behind his team, while Manchester City are one point behind Newcastle.

Seventh-placed Bournemouth will go level on points with Chelsea if they win, and their confidence should be high after going eight league games unbeaten thanks to a 1-0 home win over Everton on January 4.

#CHEBOU Preparations. ⏳ pic.twitter.com/9KRadUewpJ

– Chelsea (@ChelseaFC) January 13, 2025

Andoni Iraola's side are strengthening their hopes of qualifying for Europe with each passing week, and their five wins in those eight games have included wins at home to Tottenham and… A broad victory over Manchester United 3-0 At Old Trafford for the second season in a row.

The Spaniard says Bournemouth “have to be better” than they were in the 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea on September 14, when they had seven of 10 attempts on target between the two sides but were beaten by Christopher Nkunku's 86th-minute goal.

“We will need to perform very well,” Iraola said. “Maybe we will need to improve our finishing. It's not difficult to understand what they (Chelsea) are doing, (but) it's difficult to stop them.

He added: “It will be a challenge for us, but I hope it will be a challenge for them as well, because we have good threats.”

Eden loved the goal against Bournemouth. 😍#Shibo 🔜 pic.twitter.com/EcMOtkkVbh

– Chelsea (@ChelseaFC) January 13, 2025

Maresca described Bournemouth as “very difficult” and attributed their success to “intense pressure that makes things difficult for the teams.”

“They always try to be aggressive and it is very clear what they are doing on and off the ball,” he noted. “They are direct, physically strong and very fast.”

Chelsea vs Bournemouth team news

Wideman Reece James and midfielder Romeo Lavia returned for 45 minutes during Chelsea's 5-0 FA Cup win at home to Fourth Division Morecambe on Saturday, and Maresca said both players are fit to feature against Bournemouth.

The Italian added that English striker Noni Madueke returned to competition after illness. Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is a doubt after missing the Shrimps defeat, while Benoit Badiashile has a groin problem and fellow centre-back Wesley Fofana may not play again this season due to a hamstring injury.

We can confirm that Max Aarons has completed his loan move to Valencia 🤝 pic.twitter.com/rTaYMwWpmM

– AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) January 13, 2025

It seems that Bournemouth's strikers have been cursed since the beginning of the year, as Evanilson broke a bone in his foot against Everton, and Enes Unal suffered a second serious knee injury in his career during training last week.

Daniel Gibson is now Iraola's only striker, and the 21-year-old chose welcome time to score his first goal of the season in the 5-1 FA Cup win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, having been recalled from his loan spell at Watford. .

The former England youth international has not scored in his first 16 matches of the 2024/25 season in the Championship and Premier League, although only four of them were starts.

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 plays for Argentina's Under-20s.

There is better news in midfield, as Iraola has confirmed Ryan Christie is in contention After his absence from the visit of West Bromwich.