2022-23 Premier League: Week Nine – Bournemouth vs Leicester

Bournemouth welcome relegation-battling Leicester City to the Vitality Stadium.

Victory could see Bournemouth climb into the top ten, whereas Leicester can climb out of the relegation zone with a win if Wolves fail to beat Chelsea elsewhere.

 

Team News

Junior Stanislas is set to remain ruled out for Bournemouth after he missed their goalless draw against Brentford last weekend with a muscle injury.

Ryan Fredericks (unspecified), Ben Pearson (knee) and Joe Rothwell (quad) face late fitness tests but Lloyd Kelly (ankle) and David Brooks (fitness) remain ruled out.

Leicester will be without Nampalys Mendy after he suffered a knee injury in training.

Wilfried Ndidi (hamstring), Ryan Bertrand (knee) and Ricardo Pereira (Achilles) remain absent.

 

Stat Attack

• Bournemouth are unbeaten in four of their last six league meetings against Leicester (W2, D2, L2)
• Leicester are winless in their last five league visits to Bournemouth (D2, L3).
• Leicester’s Jamie Vardy has scored in each of his last three appearances against Bournemouth
• Bournemouth have kept three clean sheets in four matches at home this season (W1, D2, L1).
• Leicester have lost both away games in which their top goalscorer, James Maddison found the net this season, albeit both came in London at Arsenal and Tottenham respectively.

 

Prediction

Having been harshly denied various penalties in last weekend’s goalless draw against Brentford, Bournemouth now need to channel that frustration into another confident attacking performance whilst the defending and goalkeeping were excellent at the opposite end.

Leicester meanwhile finally look to have turned a corner following a clinically aggressive display against Nottingham Forest, where they showed confidence and desire in their pressing with clinical finishing like the vintage Leicester of recent seasons.

The Vitality Stadium though has been a hoodoo ground for Leicester but if they play like they did against Forest, whilst Bournemouth continue their progresss in attack and get some luck in terms of goals then I definitely think we are absolutely in for a thriller.

Prediction: Bournemouth 2-2 Leicester

Result: Bournemouth 2-1 Leicester