Bournemouth entertain relegation-battling Nottingham Forest at the Vitality Stadium.
Victory would see Bournemouth stay 12th in the table for another matchweek, whilst Forest can climb to 15th with a win.
Team News
Dango Ouattara is set to return for Bournemouth after he needed time to rebuild his match fitness upon his return from international duty.
Darren Randolph (illness), James Hill (ankle), Max Aarons (muscle), Ryan Fredericks (calf) and Tyler Adams (hamstring) remain absent.
Forest will welcome Nuno Tavares back into contention after he was ineligible to feature in their defeat at home to Arsenal.
Moussa Niakhate could also feature for Forest following his return to the club, after Senegal were eliminated at the Africa Cup of Nations in the Round of 16 stage.
Chris Wood (hamstring) is a doubt whilst; Ola Aina, Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangare are still all away on international duty at Africa Cup of Nations.
Cheikhou Kouyate (personal) and Divock Origi (groin) remains absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Bournemouth host Forest at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday 4 February at 2pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Bournemouth are yet to lose to Forest in the Premier League (W2, D1).
- Forest held Bournemouth to a 1-1 draw in their only previous Premier League visit to the Vitality Stadium in January 2023.
- Neither team are yet to keep a clean sheet after three previous Premier League meetings, although Bournemouth kept the only clean sheet in their last four clashes in all competitions – 1-0 home win in May 2022.
- Illia Zabarnyi has made more headed clearances than any other Bournemouth player this season, with 31 headed clearances in 21 league appearances.
- Morgan Gibbs-White has had more touches on the ball in the Premier League this season than any other Forest player, with 1,082 touches in 21 appearances.
Prediction
Sat comfortably in mid-table and having scrappeed their way to a draw at West Ham last Thursday, Bournemouth should feel confident that they can kick on and end this mini winless blip in the league but they need to be more clinical than they were in East London.
Forest meanwhile endured a tough defeat against Arsenal where tiny defensive errors proved their downfall but Anthony Elanga and Taiwo Awoniyi’s returns is a positive, which hopefully will allow them to continue their recent goalscoring form but their defence can’t be sloppy if want a win.
Now if Forest do avoid making mistakes at the back then they might get something but Bournemouth can be a hard team to break down, especially as Swansea found in the Cherries’ most recent home game in the FA Cup so this could get scrappy and a draw might be a fair outcome.
Prediction: Bournemouth 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Result: Bournemouth 1-1 Nottingham Forest
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