Bournemouthvs.West Ham

Both teams emerged triumphant via a 2-1 scoreline in gameweek 15, as Andoni Iraola's men fought back to deny Ipswich Town a priceless win, while West Ham prevailed in 'El Sackico' with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Match preview

It may be all about the tangos during Strictly season, but it was all about the Dango during Bournemouth's battle with Ipswich at Portman Road last weekend, as the Cherries rendered a Conor Chaplin opener inconsequential thanks to a magnificent late turnaround.

With 87 minutes on the board, super sub Dango Ouattara delivered a sumptuous cross for Enes Unal to equalise - albeit with the help of a wicked deflection - before the 22-year-old went from provider to goalscorer with a thunderous winner in the fifth minute of additional time.

The captivating comeback in Suffolk represented Bournemouth's third top-flight success on the bounce following beatings of Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves, results that have catapulted them into the top half of the Premier League rankings and within touching distance of the continental places.

Never before have the Cherries managed to accrue as many as 24 points from their opening 15 matches of a Premier League season - a testament to the stellar work of Iraola and his coaching team as the Bournemouth board reportedly prepare a new long-term contract for their head coach.

A fourth win on the spin on Monday would see the hosts match their longest victorious run in the Premier League, which they achieved both in 2018 and 2023 - and their last five home games have brought 12 points courtesy of successes over Spurs, Arsenal, Manchester City and Southampton.

While Iraola is expected to put pen to paper on a new Bournemouth contract in due course, his opposite number Lopetegui could have been fearing the dreaded P45 had the Hammers not come up trumps in their critical basement battle with Gary O'Neil's Wolves, who were also playing for their own manager's stay of execution.

Emulating Ouattara with a game-defining goal and assist - albeit from the first whistle rather than off the bench - Jarrod Bowen stood up when it mattered most for Monday's visitors, delivering a deep corner for Tomas Soucek to head back across goal before curling home a wonderful winner after Matt Doherty had got the teams back to square one.

By bouncing back from heavy defeats to Arsenal and Leicester City in perfect fashion, the Irons ensured that they would head into the weekend with an insurmountable lead over the relegation pack, and they will not drop below their current 14th-placed standing no matter what events occur.

The statistics book does not favour the London crop, though, as they have been defeated immediately after each of their four Premier League victories so far this season and have failed to win any of their seven top-flight matches against teams starting the gameweek in the top half of the standings, losing five of them.

However, West Ham have already got one over Bournemouth this season, edging out the Cherries 1-0 in the second round of the EFL Cup to make it seven games unbeaten against Monday's hosts, whose last triumph in this fixture came during the Eddie Howe days of January 2019.

Bournemouth Premier League form:

W

L

L

W

W

W

West Ham United Premier League form:

L

D

W

L

L

W

Team News

Two new Bournemouth blows were confirmed by Iraola in his pre-game press conference, as defender Marcos Senesi is likely to miss around three or four months due to thigh surgery, while Marcus Tavernier is out for "some weeks" owing to a hamstring concern.

The latter's absence should see the door swing open for Portman Road hero Ouattara to start out wide, but Unal's heavily fortuitous equalising goal in the win over Ipswich should not see him displace Evanilson at the tip of the attack.

Alex Scott (knee), Luis Sinisterra (hamstring) and Julian Araujo (hamstring) will play no part in this one either, but Tyler Adams should be available again, having been rested for the trip to Ipswich.

Last weekend's Premier League action was overshadowed by news of West Ham striker Michail Antonio being involved in a serious road traffic accident, but the Jamaican escaped with just a lower limb fracture and is currently recovering from an operation.

Antonio is one of only two definite absentees for the visitors alongside the suspended Emerson Palmieri - who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last time out - so Aaron Cresswell could make his 300th Premier League appearance for the Irons on Monday.

Lopetegui has also revealed that a couple of players have "some issues" but refused to name names, and the Hammers boss is also facing a big decision over whether to persist with Carlos Soler or bring Lucas Paqueta back into the number 10 role.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:

Kepa; Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Cook; Semenyo, Kluivert, Ouattara; Evanilson

West Ham United possible starting lineup:

Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Cresswell; Soucek, Alvarez; Kudus, Soler, Summerville; Bowen

We say: Bournemouth 2-1 West Ham United

Bournemouth's dismal recent record against West Ham should pale into insignificance when the teams meet on Monday night, as the Cherries have already slain several of the big boys at the Vitality Stadium and have the attacking nous necessary to condemn the Irons to the same fate.

Written by

Ben Knapton

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