Top-four chasing Bournemouth host relegation-battling Ipswich in a Premier League encounter at the Vitality Stadium.
Victory could put Bournemouth as high as sixth if results elsewhere swing in their favour, whilst Ipswich will stay third-bottom if at least match if not better Leicester’s result at Manchester City.
Team News
Marcus Tavernier is ruled out for Bournemouth after he missed their FA Cup exit against Manchester City with an ankle injury.
Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen will both return after they were both suspended against Man City.
Julian Araujo, Luis Sinisterra (hamstring) and Enes Unal (ACL) remain absent.
Ipswich have no fresh injury concerns to report after their 4-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the international break.
Arijanet Muric (shoulder), Axel Tuanzebe (muscle), Sammie Szmodics (ankle), Wes Burns (ACL), Conor Chaplin (knee) and Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Bournemouth host Ipswich at Vitality Stadium on Wednesday 2 April at 7:45pm BST, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Bournemouth won 2-1 in their only previous Premier League meeting against Ipswich away at Portman Road earlier this season.
- Ipswich are making their first Premier League trip to Bournemouth.
- Both Bournemouth and Ipswich have scored in each of their last eight league meetings, during which the Cherries scored 13 goals to Ipswich’s 12.
- Antoine Semenyo has created more shots on target than any other Bournemouth player this season, having put 33 shots onto goal in 28 appearances.
- Coming into this matchweek, no Ipswich player has made more interceptions this season than Dara O’Shea (28).
Prediction
If Bournemouth want a top-four finish, they really need to sort out their final touches because they could of easily beaten City if had been more clinical in the first half, yet they allowed themselves to be defensively opened up on the counter-attack with little creativity to fight back once the Cityzens got on top in the second half.
Ipswich meanwhile were absolutely defensively outplayed on the counter-attack by Forest in their last outing for all of their attacking efforts, but their two goals in that game should give them some confidence coming into this game if can be more solid at the back.
I however do expect Bournemouth to bounce back and get a much-needed win to put their season back on track, although Ipswich won’t make this easy.
Prediction: Bournemouth 2-1 Ipswich
Result: Bournemouth 1-2 Ipswich
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