Bournemouth

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the goalless draw: "I'm pleased with the performance. We played a really solid game. You have to value the point, we were playing a very good team and they can also score. One point is not a lot, but we value it.

"I'm very happy. Alex Scott playing as a six, he played one of his best games. Even Justin [Kluivert] and [David] Brooks helped us from the number 10 position. We defended really well.

"They scored because of the deflection. We wanted to improve and we are defending better now. I'm happy because we definitely did very well.

Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has also been speaking to the media: "A draw is a fair result. It is even better when there is a clean sheet. We had our chances, they had their chances. The intensity and quality of the football was good.

"We didn't play at our level against Everton, but today we had great energy and focus. It is positive and we are back on our way. The concentration can decide a igame. Part of our job is to stay focused and I try to stay focused with communication. We did an amazing job.

"We had some chances to score a goal in the second half, but they played well defensively. We didn't score, but hopefully in the next game we will get it back."

On their next game against Manchester United: "We need to just keep this level of energy and concentration. We just need those goals and, if we play on this level every game, we have a good chance of winning."

Did you know?

• Bournemouth are without a win in six Premier League games (D2 L4), failing to score in consecutive league games under Andoni Iraola for just the third time (also in October 2023 and September 2024).

• The Cherries had 13 attempts against Chelsea, their most without scoring in a Premier League home game since February against Liverpool (14 attempts).

Listen to Iraola on BBC Sounds

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Bournemouth's performance

What did you make of Chelsea's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Bournemouth make four changes from the 1-0 defeat at home to Everton in midweek, with Evanilson among the changes coming in for Junior Kroupi.

Adam Smith, Marcos Sensi and Marcus Tavernier also come in, while Chelsea make six changes from their 3-1 defeat at Leeds.

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Smith, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert, Tavernier, Scott, Jimenez, Kluivert, Semenyo, Evanilson

Substitutes: Dennis, Hill, Araujo, Soler, Brooks, Adli, Dacosta, Kroupi, Unal

Cole Palmer starts for Chelsea for the first time since 20 September, coming in along with Reece James, Malo Gusto, Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella, James, Fernandez, Neto, Palmer, Garnacho, Delap

Subtitutes: Jorgensen, Badiashile, Hato, Acheampong, Andrey Santos, Gittens, Estevao, Joao Pedro, Guiu

There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Aston Villa v Arsenal (12:30)

• Bournemouth v Chelsea - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Everton v Nottingham Forest

• Manchester City v Sunderland

• Newcastle v Burnley

• Tottenham v Brentford - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3

• Leeds v Liverpool (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Bournemouth v Chelsea" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Leeds v Liverpool", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

I've been backing Bournemouth recently and they have taken one point from their past five games - so maybe I need to return to the times when I said they would lose every week.

Given the Cherries are in such poor form, the obvious thing to say here is that Chelsea will bounce back from their midweek defeat at Leeds.

But I'm not sure what to expect from Enzo Maresca's team. They need a response because they were insipid at Elland Road, when Leeds ran all over them, but if they are that meek again then they are in trouble.

I also think things have to turn for Bournemouth soon, and eventually they will get a break or two.

It's hard to feel confident about either side winning it, though, so let's go with a draw.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Bournemouth will attempt to arrest a run of four defeats in five matches when they entertain a Chelsea side who lost at Leeds on Wednesday.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of Saturday's meeting at the Vitality Stadium (15:00 GMT).

Bournemouth on barren run

Bournemouth have lost four of their last five Premier League matches (D1), more defeats than in their previous 17 fixtures combined. Their 1-0 loss to Everton on Tuesday night ended their unbeaten league record at the Vitality Stadium this season.

The Cherries named their youngest Premier League starting XI (23 years and 254 days) against the Toffees, with their line-up not featuring a single player over the age of 26. Bournemouth's roster of young talent may need to learn quickly if they are to end a poor run of results against a side they have failed to beat in their past seven Premier League meetings.

Bournemouth's attacking numbers have remained largely consistent during their difficult period, but Andoni Iraola's side have been more vulnerable defensively despite having a larger share of the ball, conceding more goals and giving up a greater number of chances.

It is a failing that could come back to haunt the south coast club if left unaddressed before Saturday's contest - Chelsea are on the longest current scoring streak of any side in the Premier League, netting in all 13 of their games since a goalless draw with Crystal Palace on the opening weekend.

Chelsea labour at Leeds

Chelsea's tilt towards the upper tiers of the Premier League table took an unexpected turn during the midweek round of fixtures when Enzo Maresca's side lost at struggling Leeds - ending an unbeaten run of seven matches in all competitions.

The newly promoted club were on a run of four successive defeats before triumphing 3-1, a game in which Chelsea went behind for the first time in nine league outings.

The Blues had gone 1-0 up in their previous eight league fixtures, but they could not recover after falling two goals behind in west Yorkshire.

They commanded 71% possession over the course of the contest, but mustered just two shots on target.

More wins with Moises

While a lack of goal threat cannot be entirely blamed on the suspended Moises Caicedo, the surprise loss is perhaps an example of Chelsea's poor disciplinary record catching up with them.

Caicedo is banned for a further two matches following his red card in last weekend's draw with Arsenal and his ongoing absence could yet prove more costly in the forthcoming games against Bournemouth and Everton.

The Blues have won just two of their seven Premier League matches when Caicedo hasn't been in the starting XI - a win ratio of 29% - in comparison to winning 52% of the time when he has started.

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to BBC Radio Solent before Saturday's Premier League game against Chelsea at Vitality Stadium (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On team news, Iraola admitted that it will be difficult for Veljko Milosavljevic to be available after finishing the midweek defeat by Everton with a knee issue. He will be assessed before the game.

• Iraola expects a reaction from his side after losing four of their past five matches, noting that it doesn't matter what they do "today or how we are yesterday". Iraola insists he "trusts" his players and says they are "looking forward to the game" against Chelsea.

• On chopping and changing the starting XI: "The players understand that now we are in a period where we will need to rotate the team a little bit to change players because we are playing every three, four days. Obviously, everyone wants to start but I'm also very happy with the performance of and the attitude of everyone that comes on the bench."

• Asked whether Bournemouth are fighting for Europe or battling relegation, Iraola said they are somewhere in between. He explained that the season will naturally bring spells of strong form and difficult periods, and the team must navigate both.

• On Marcus Tavernier's on-field exchange with fans during the Everton game: "We've discussed with him. I think the first thing is that he knows, admits and is aware that he made a mistake. You can never complain against the supporter, but I have the advantage that I know Tav. I know him. Sometimes I'm refereeing games in training and he answers the same way to me - and once you know him, you understand that. I think there is a part where this shows that he's passionate, he cares, he's frustrated. He's always available to push, and I have seen that about his character. He's the first one who wants to win and is competitive, but it's true that he made a mistake, and he knows it. I'm sure it's not going to happen again."

• Iraola believes the speculation around both his contract situation and Antoine Semenyo's future is simply part of the territory, saying it is something "that always happens when you don't win games". The Spaniard stressed that they have to "accept the outside noise".

• On Marcos Senesi playing as a holding midfielder: "Marcos could do a job for some minutes but probably doesn't have the physical endurance, because you have to run a lot as a six. He is more used to playing as a full-back."

• On Chelsea: "I expect the best Chelsea. We know this before we play tomorrow, so we have to be at our very best because the opposition is playing very well. They are getting better and better with Enzo [Maresca] and I think they will demand a lot [from us] defensively."

Listen to Andoni Iraola on BBC Sounds

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to commentary of Bournemouth v Chelsea at 15:00 on Saturday on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter at AFC Bournemouth Performance Centre

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth are winless in five matches, with Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson struggling to provide goals or assists.

Manager Andoni Iraola, however, appears more concerned about defensive issues and keeping his squad committed to his ultra high-intensity approach after a flat display at Everton in midweek.

For Chelsea's visit tomorrow, Marcos Senesi returns from a one-match suspension to strengthen the defence and aid build-up play, with attacking midfielder David Brooks also available again.

But Iraola told BBC Sport the absence of "fundamental" defensive midfielder Tyler Adams is a major setback, especially with Lewis Cook also unavailable.

Iraola is expected to field someone out of position in midfield, likely James Hill or Alex Scott, at Vitality Stadium.

On the attacking front, Iraola insisted Semenyo is not distracted by contract talks and is not performing poorly, despite failing to register a goal or assist in his past six appearances.

He said the club's impressive start, which took them to second place, raised expectations. But he stressed this version of Bournemouth is a rebuild, featuring a young squad that needs calm, careful management to navigate a difficult spell.

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth were second in the Premier League table in late October, but manager Andoni Iraola showed more concern than joy when asked if the club could secure an unexpected Champions League place.

That optimism has faded, with the Cherries now winless in five matches and forward Antoine Semenyo going six games without a goal.

They host Chelsea at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday (15:00 GMT) after the visitors' shock midweek defeat at Leeds, hoping to get their season back on track.

Iraola is likely to face questions on:

• why Semenyo's progress has stalled

• whether he needs January signings

• his contract which expires at the end of the season

• goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic facing his former club

The latest episode of Cherries Unpicked podcast has landed.

The BBC Radio Solent team discuss Tuesday's 1-0 defeat to Everton which leaves Bournemouth winless in five Premier League games.

Listen to the full episode here

Explore all Bournemouth content on BBC Sounds

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

While Antoine Semenyo has been, metaphorically, one of the first names on Bournemouth's teamsheet this season, one or two eyebrows may have been raised when he was named as captain for Tuesday's home defeat by Everton. It made him the sixth man to start a match wearing the skipper's armband this season.

However, the situation is less complicated than it may first appear.

When taking over in the summer of 2023, Andoni Iraola inherited goalkeeper Neto as club captain, having been given the role by Iraola's predecessor Gary O'Neil.

Defender Adam Smith had been Neto's deputy, and so when the Brazilian stopper left Vitality Stadium a year ago, initially on loan before departing permanently, Smith – also the Cherries' longest-serving player – naturally took the captaincy.

Iraola, who had captained Athletic Club from right-back during his own playing career, explained last season that he places less importance on the role than is usual in England, hoping for leaders to emerge "naturally" in the team.

Instead, the armband is usually given to the player who has been at the club the longest, hence why it is sometimes transferred mid-match if longer-serving players come off the bench, as Marcus Tavernier did on Tuesday.

So, of the six players to lead the side so far this season, the hierarchy is clear to see based on arrival dates – with Smith (signed 2014), Lewis Cook (2016), David Brooks (2018), Ryan Christie (2021), Tavernier (2022) and now Semenyo (2023) having stepped into the role.

It indicates that had Marcos Senesi (signed in 2022, a month after Tavernier) not missed the Everton game with suspension, he would probably have taken the armband ahead of Semenyo.

There is no slight on the leadership abilities of Tyler Adams (signed 2023), who remains the only Cherries player to have captained their country at a World Cup.

And a one-off captaincy for Semenyo is unlikely to quell the speculation which will ramp up as the January transfer window approaches.

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

When Bournemouth signed left-back Adrien Truffert for £14 million in the summer, he had big shoes to fill.

Despite Milos Kerkez's struggles for Liverpool this season, the full-back was one of Andoni Iraola's most reliable outlets down the left during the 2024-25 campaign, so serves as a benchmark for his replacement.

In comparing their output, it is worth reflecting on what Bournemouth lost when Kerkez left with what Truffert has produced, adapted and improved upon during his first months in the Premier League.

One of the clearer areas of contrast comes in their defensive profiles.

The radar charts below compare Kerkez's 2024-25 Premier League output with Truffert's numbers so far in 2025-26.

Each metric is shown as a percentile, meaning how a player ranks relative to others in his position across the league (the higher the percentile, the better).

The Cherries valued Kerkez's aggression and recovery speed, but also tolerated his volatility. Kerkez's stats show his disruptive defensive work and ball-winning instincts. His standout metric last season was interceptions, where he ranked highly among Premier League full-backs and that aggression attracted Liverpool.

He also posted strong numbers in goal-creating actions (GCA) and ball recoveries, highlighting both his willingness to play forward and his reading of the game.

Early in his Bournemouth career, Truffert offers a different profile.

The France international excels in tackles attempted in the attacking third, ranking far higher than Kerkez in this category and signalling a more front-footed pressing style under Iraola.

His progressive carrying distance is also one of his strongest categories, suggesting he is happier to run with the ball from deeper than his predecessor.

The 'errors' metric, which measures mistakes leading to an opponent's shot, supports this. A higher figure actually represents fewer errors, suggesting a more secure defender. Here, Truffert outperforms Kerkez, who had a tendency to take risks.

Truffert's early numbers point toward a less error-prone full-back, even while offering a different type of threat going forward - more dribbler than goal-creator.

In broad terms, Kerkez offered explosive recovery and interception instincts but had a mistake in him. Truffert meanwhile is more adventurous when dribbling and presses higher, with less likelihood of an error.

That shift in profile was paying off in Bournemouth's handsome start to the season. Given recent struggles, it will be interesting to see how Iraola adapts his approach.

Pundits Danny Murphy and Shay Given join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Tuesday and Wednesday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Premier League game between Bournemouth and Everton.

Here are some of your comments:

Bournemouth fans

Terry: The worst display by Bournemouth this season. The slick passing and pressing game has disappeared. We missed Ryan Christie and other key players. Alex Scott is unpredictable and Justin Kluivert is a shadow. Our players looked small and were pushed off the ball too easily. There is a lot of work to be done. Will our coach stay?

Lee: What happened to the free-flowing football Bournemouth gave us earlier in the season? The performance was woeful. They have replaced passion and goals with bickering and doubt.

Schrintzle: Pretty dire, notwithstanding several players out. Want to beat Bournemouth? Pack your defence with the biggest players you have! Simple.

Mick: We seem to have lost our way and I'm not sure how we're going to turn things around. Teams seem to have worked out how we play and how to neutralise our pressing style. We are not a tall team, so I don't understand why we keep putting the ball in the air, where we lose the second ball.

Everton fans

Anton: On what has been our bogey ground for too long now, we battled and gritted our way to another away win. It was also very important to bounce back after the Newcastle debacle. Let's be realistic, this is our season in a nutshell - we'll win some well, lose some badly, grind out some and be unlucky in some. We cross our fingers for a more positive performance against Nottingham Forest and Sean Dyche on Saturday.

Tom: Tim Iroegbunam put on a much better display after being hooked at half-time in the Newcastle match. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has such a good engine on him while Jake O'Brien at centre-back is a colossus!

Mark: A dogged, fighting performance. A completely different one from the display against Newcastle. I've been saying for some time that Jack Grealish needs to shoot more rather than cross or pass and luckily he did. I hope this is where he kicks on and gets his England place back too. Three great points towards a top-half finish this season, I hope!

Garry: Thierno Barry and Beto both put in a shift. I wish one of them would score as a reflection of their efforts. In any case, I'm made up to win.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison believes Bournemouth's recent dip in form has coincided with reports linking Antoine Semenyo with a move away from the club.

Tuesday's 1-0 home defeat by Everton was the Cherries' fourth loss in five matches. It emerged in mid-November that star man Semenyo has a £65m release clause in his contract that can be activated during the first two weeks of the January transfer window

"I'm not worried about Bournemouth in terms of relegation but I'm worried about them dropping down the table rapidly at the moment," Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"They made a great start and everyone was talking about the start they made but they have lost a few players through injury and suspension.

"[Marocs] Senesi and [David] Brooks in particular were out against Everton. They really missed them.

"They are on a difficult run at the moment. It feels like ever since that talk about Semenyo's release clause and him maybe leaving in January, his form and Bournemouth's has dipped.

"Hopefully when he gets back to form, the team will get back to flying again.

"Justin Kluivert has also just come back. He can be exceptional and score spectacular goals but they have been missing him as well. He's been stop start.

"Bournemouth are not a team that can really afford to have injuries and suspensions."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Liverpool are one of the clubs at the front of the queue to sign Bournemouth and Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo, 25. (Football Insider), external

Tottenham are intensifying their interest in Antoine Semenyo and could make a move for the Ghanaian in January. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth left-back Adrien Truffert did not hold back on his assessment after the Cherries lost to Everton at home in the Premier League. Truffert acknowledged that the team fell short in intensity, execution and control.

With injuries and suspensions piling up but no desire to lean on excuses, the Frenchman said Bournemouth must respond immediately if they want to halt their slide.

Andoni Iraola and his side have now lost four of their last five games in the Premier League, with just one win in their last seven fixtures.

"We know that we are in a difficult moment, but we need to do better," Truffert told BBC Radio Solent. "Today, we weren't at our level, and if we want to win games, we need to put more intensity, more everything.

"Everything was missing, we don't win duels, second balls, with the ball, we need to do much better. But, yes, we know that we need to do better, and we will continue to work hard, and we have to win the next game.

"(The plan) was to play in their (Everton) half because we wanted to keep the ball. But it was difficult because we lost the ball, and I think we conceded (possession) on too many occasions.

"We don't want to use excuses, it's not because of that (suspensions and injuries), everybody is important to the team, but we can win games even if we miss players."

Listen on BBC Sounds

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It has been a really poor game from our side. We've been bad on the ball, our build up hasn't been good today, and once you are not good with the ball you will not look good without the ball.

"The game has gone on the routes that Everton wanted, not a lot of rhythm, quite slow, not any big chances for any of the teams. I was expecting to concede set pieces and it was dangerous. I'm definitely disappointed with the performance. The result is bad. We lacked energy.

"A lot of things were not happening. I think we should have been much more aggressive on the ball and without the ball. They scored one goal but I think they controlled the game more than us. It could have finished 0-0 but it was not the game we wanted to play.

On the drop off in form: "A lot of reasons. The other day we lost a game that we had a lot in our favour and also we lose five very important players for us. In the middle we lacked energy, Christie, Cook, we missed players that give us that energ.

"I think we will recover some of the players but we still do not recover some players with the five yellow cards so we will have to think of other players to give us energy. [Today] has been a bad result but we have to stay together, analyse and we have to use this loss to try to do a reset and think properly about things we need to do better."

Did you know?

Marco Silva has lost all 13 of his Premier League meetings with Manchester City, the highest 100% loss record a manager has against an opponent in the competition.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

It is not that long ago people were talking up Bournemouth's chances of qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.

A win over Nottingham Forest on 26 October left them second in the table, but Andoni Iraola's side have worryingly not won since.

They look a shadow of the team that defeated Wolves, Tottenham, Brighton and Fulham earlier in the season, and registered just five attempts against an Everton side that conceded four last time out.

That is their lowest total in a single match in the Premier League this season.

Iraola named Bournemouth's youngest ever Premier League starting XI (23 years, 254 days) but, after blowing a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at Sunderland last Saturday, they produced a bitterly disappointing performance in front of their own fans.

Eli Junior Kroupi thought he had netted just before half-time, but his effort was ruled out for offside against Adli.

The games are coming thick and fast and the Cherries boss and his players have little time to work on their shortcomings before they host Chelsea on Saturday.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Bournemouth's performance

What did you make of Everton's display?

Come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies

Eighteen-year-old Veljko Milosavljevic gets a rare start in Bournemouth's defence as Marcos Senesi is suspended. Justin Kluivert returns to the starting XI.

Bournemouth: Petrovic, Jimenez, Diakite, Milosavljevic, Truffert, Adams, Scott, Semenyo, Kluivert, Adli, Kroupi.

Despite seeing his side lose 4-1 at home to Newcastle on Saturday, Everton boss David Moyes makes just one change - Charly Alcaraz is in for Michael Keane, who is not involved.

Everton: Pickford, Garner, O'Brien, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Iroegbunam, Alcaraz, Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Barry.

There are three games in the Premier League on Tuesday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Bournemouth v Everton

• Fulham v Manchester City

• Newcastle v Tottenham (20:15)

Kick-off times 19:30 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction