Bournemouth can enter the top four in the Premier League standings when they welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
Gameweek 26 of the 2024/25 Premier League season will continue on Saturday. The action on the day will start with the game between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park before continuing with five simultaneous fixtures, including Bournemouth vs Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Vitality Stadium.
Andoni Iraola continues to wield the magic wand at the Vitality Stadium, with Bournemouth on the cusp of breaching the top four for the first time this season. The Cherries have been among the most improved teams in the Premier League this term, rising to fifth in the standings, with fourth-placed Manchester City only a point ahead of them.
On the other hand, Wolverhampton Wanderers remain in the relegation dogfight despite showing some positive signs in their early days under Vitor Pereira. The Black Country outfit might be 17th in the Premier League standings, but they are only two points ahead of Ipswich Town. So, the visitors need some wins to pull away from the drop zone.
The reverse fixture was a pulsating affair that saw Bournemouth beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-2 at the Molineux. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola has seen his squad’s fitness woes ease, but over half a dozen players remain on the sidelines. The Bournemouth manager will be without as many as seven first-team stars vs Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Julio Soler will soon be at Iraola’s disposal after finishing second with Argentina at the Under-20 South American Championships. Meanwhile, James Hill (hamstring), Julian Araujo (thigh), Adam Smith (unspecified), Marcos Senesi (thigh), Evanilson (foot), and Enes Unal (knee) remain on the sidelines.
Kepa Arrizabalaga will take his spot between the sticks, with Bournemouth lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. The backline should feature Lewis Cook, Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, and Milos Kerkez.
As for the midfield unit, Tyler Adams should accompany Ryan Christie in the double pivot. Justin Kluivert will likely reprise the no. 10 role, with David Brooks and Antoine Semenyo being the two wide attackers. Finally, Dango Ouattara will lead the line for Bournemouth against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Adams; Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Ouattara
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Unlike his counterpart in the Bournemouth dugout, Vitor Pereira has greeted a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Wolverhampton Wanderers manager will be without eight first-team players on Saturday.
Jorgen Strand Larsen (hamstring) should be in the matchday squad after resuming training this week. In addition, Sam Johnstone is closing in on returning to action. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Agbadou is the latest absentee after picking up a hamstring injury last weekend. He has joined Yerson Mosquera (knee), Rodrigo Gomes (unspecified), Leon Chiwone (knee), Enso Gonzalez (knee), and Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) on the sidelines.
Jose Sa will be the automatic pick between the sticks, with Wolverhampton Wanderers lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Bournemouth on Saturday. The central defensive unit should feature Matt Doherty, Santiago Bueno, and Toti Gomes. Nelson Semedo and Rayan Ait-Nouri will likely start as the two wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Joao Gomes and Andre in the middle of the park. Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha will be the two creative attackers, with the latter pulling the strings from the advanced positions. Finally, Jorgen Strand Larsen will spearhead the attack against Bournemouth.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Sa; Doherty, Santiago Bueno, Toti; Semedo, Joao Gomes, Andre, Ait-Nouri; Sarabia, Cunha; Larsen
Key Stats
- Bournemouth have won three of their last four Premier League games vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (L1), although all three victories have come away from home. Wolves are unbeaten in all four Premier League away games against Bournemouth, alternating between a draw (2) and a victory (2) each time. It is their most away games against an opponent without ever losing in the competition’s history.
- Bournemouth have lost only one of their last 13 Premier League games (W8 D4), although that defeat came in their most recent home match against Liverpool (0-2). They have not lost consecutive league games at the Vitality Stadium since October 2023, the second game of which was against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
- Saturday’s clash will be Wolverhampton Wanderers’ fourth consecutive Premier League away game against a side starting the day in the top six of the table, losing the other three. They have won only one of their last 28 matches on the road against sides in the top six (D3 L24), beating fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in February 2024.
- Only Liverpool and Manchester City have managed more shots and shots on target than Bournemouth in the Premier League this season (403 shots, 147 on target), while only Liverpool and Chelsea have a higher xG than the Cherries (47.8). Their rate of 16.1 shots, 5.9 shots on target, 1.9 xG and 1.8 goals per game are all the Cherries’ highest in any of their eight seasons in the top flight.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers have conceded 54 goals from an expected goals tally against a total of 41.6 in the Premier League this season, the biggest difference between xGA and actual goals conceded this term (-12.4).
Player to Watch
Dango Ouattara
While Matheus Cunha and Antoine Semenyo were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Dango Ouattara as our Player to Watch for the game between Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Vitality Stadium.
Ouattara has been involved in nine goals in his last 11 Premier League games (G6 A3), as many as in his first 60 appearances in the competition (G3 A6). The Burkinabe attacker will be eager to continue his excellent run in the final third when he starts another game as a striker for the home side.
Prediction
Bournemouth 3-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
While Bournemouth’s most recent home game in the Premier League ended in a defeat, they have been excellent at the Vitality Stadium and should make short work of the struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers. The visitors will aim to take the game to their hosts this weekend but might not have the quality to trouble the Cherries.
Matheus Cunha should salvage some pride for the Black Country outfit. However, Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo will deliver the goods for the home side and earn them three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Andoni Iraola and his charges.
