1 AFC Bournemouth vs 2 Brentford
Bournemouth's Iraola nominated for prestigious award ahead of Brentford clash.
After a tough defeat to Arsenal, Bournemouth aim to rekindle their winning form against Brentford this Saturday at Dean Court.
AFC Bournemouth
Bournemouth were picked apart in a 3-0 loss to title-chasing Arsenal last weekend, a defeat that put an end to a two-game winning streak. Despite the loss, the Cherries remained in 10th place with 48 points, one point ahead of 11th-placed Brighton.
A finish anywhere in the upper half of the table would be enough for the Cherries, who finished in 15th place last season. On Saturday, Bournemouth, who are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games, will be looking to extend the run that happens to be their joint-longest run without defeat on home soil in the top-flight.
However, the Cherries have lost their final home league match in three of the last four seasons, with the exception being a 1-0 win over Millwall in 2021–22. Both sides shared the spoils last time out in a 2-2 draw back in September 2023.
Andoni Iraola, who has been nominated for the prestigious Premier League Manager of the Season award, is expected to deploy a 4—4—2 with Enes Ünal and the in-form Dominic Solanke in attack. Iraola was shortlisted alongside Arsenal's Mikel Arteta, Villa’s Unai Emery, City’s Guardiola, and outgoing Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth will be without as many as seven players, including the suspended Milos Kerkez.
Brentford
Brentford, who are mathematically immune to the drop, will make a return following last weekend’s goalless draw with Fulham. The Bees currently sit in 16th place with 36 points, ten points above the bottom three with only two games remaining.
The visitors head into the weekend’s game with a recent form of [DWWLD], hoping to pick up their first league win over Bournemouth after failing to do so in six previous attempts since a 1-0 win in the Championship in August 2014.
Meanwhile, having won their final away league game in each of the last three seasons, the Bees could aim for a fourth consecutive such victory at Dean Court on Saturday. Thomas Frank is expected to deploy a 4—3—3 formation with Wissa, Ivan Toney, and Mbeumo in attack.
However, as many as four players, including Ben Mee and Aaron Hickey, are ruled out for the weekend’s fixture.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.