Bournemouth vs Swansea
A Swansea side currently holding the last safe spot in the Premier League (PL) table travel to the south of England and Bournemouth to try to claim three points for the first time since March 3.
Bournemouth seemed to have it all under control entering February in ninth place and just five points behind Europa League qualification. A single win in the following ten matches has seen the ‘Cherries’ risk getting involved in the relegation battle for real.
After receiving the dubious honor of being the first team since November last year to lose away to Southampton, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe commented that his side were the “masters of our own downfall”. But with two matches left of the season they can still decide their own PL future.
Swansea edged closer to the relegation zone after failing to claim a point against Chelsea, and with just three games remaining, the ‘Swans’ saw their four-point cushion dwindle to a single point.
Swansea need to improve in all areas to get something from this match, as scoring just two goals in seven games and conceding 13 is way below par (all competitions considered).
Players to watch: Three goals in five matches for Bournemouth top scorer Joshua King means he could still hit double figures this PL season. He now has seven.
Jordan Ayew has scored three in his last six appearances for Swansea, and seven in total this season.
Stat attack: Bournemouth have had the Indian sign in this game in the last ten years, never having lost a single game against Swansea (W5, D2, L0).
Swansea have failed to score in the last three PL matches between the two sides, and their 27 goals this season from 35 matches (0.8 average) is the worst in the PL.
Thirteen of Bournemouth’s 18 (72%) home games this season have ended in over 2.5 goals.
Possible starting lineups
Bournemouth: Boruc; Daniels, Cook, Francis, Smith; Gradel, Surman, Gosling, Ritchie; King, Afobe
Swansea: Fabianski; Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Cork, Fer; Ayew, Sigurdsson, Routledge; Paloschi
Predictions :
Over goals 2.50