The highlight of a decisive Premier League night is Chelsea vs AFC Bournemouth, where the Blues are under pressure to finish 2025 at Stamford Bridge. The game has a heavy load on both teams, as Chelsea tries to maintain a stable position at the top and Bournemouth tries to stop a disastrous fall.
Chelsea go back home having suffered a crippling 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, and the loss sent them down to the fifth position in the table after 18 games. Enzo Maresca has been subjected to recent game management problems as his side dominated long periods of time and is then punished.
It has now been one victory in six games in the league, as the London club makes December a trying month. Regardless of that run, home form is also a significant source of confidence to Chelsea, and in such a way, they seek to impose their will again before the year ends.
Bournemouth comes in at 15 th position, and is under increasing criticism after a 4-1 loss at Brentford. Andoni Iraola is in a state of seeking answers where his team has not won any league game after nine consecutive games.
The Cherries have been evidently defensively weak, especially away from home this season. Their ordeals outside the club turn this journey to Stamford Bridge into one of the most hostile challenges that would be left in 2025.
The hosts also favor history and bring an additional strain on the visitors. Chelsea have been winning their past eight Premier League matches against Bournemouth, including a draw last month, without scoring a goal in the south coast.
The news of the teams will also be highly monitored since both coaches will be operating on tight rosters against a tight timetable. Chelsea are keeping an eye on the hamstring problem of Marc Cucurella, and long-term out of action Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia, and Dario Essugo are not yet fit.
Wesley Fofana is also pushing to come back with no appearance since the previous weekend as a substitute, which provides Maresca with a defensive lift. Cole Palmer and Reece James have their time well supervised as Chelsea strike a balance between performance and fitness.
Bournemouth have their own issues, and are without Tyler Adams, Veljko Milosavljevic, and Ben Gannon-Doak. The midfielder Alex Scott is still a question mark following a late withdrawal last week and this curtails the midfield options of Iraola.
The storyline that is attracting attention concerns the Bournemouth best scorer of this season, Antoine Semenyo. This may be the last game the forward plays with the club and a high transfer interest; this will further put the pressure on his performance.
Chelsea vs AFC Bournemouth is now a test of time before the year ends, with both teams having something to lose. Chelsea do not want to leave the club at the end of a series of years with a defeat at the league, and Bournemouth require the strength and confidence after a battering run.
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