Chelsea v Bournemouth predictions: Chelsea forwards may struggle to cut loose

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Chelsea v Bournemouth in the Premier League on Tuesday.

Where to watch

Amazon Prime, 5.30pm Tuesday

Best bet

Bournemouth +2 on handicap
Bet is a winner if Bournemouth win, draw or lose by one goal
3pts 5-6 general

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Team news

Chelsea
Wesley Fofana, N'Golo Kante and Armando Broja are injured while World Cup semi-finalists Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech are unlikely to feature. Kepa Arrizabalaga is a doubt so Edouard Mendy may start in goal.

Bournemouth
Jefferson Lerma, Marcus Tavernier and Ryan Fredericks will be assessed after illness. David Brooks and goalkeeper Neto are sidelined.

Match preview

A home fixture against Bournemouth should be a good opportunity for Chelsea to restart their Premier League campaign in style under Graham Potter but the Stamford Bridge clash may not be as straightforward for the hosts as the betting suggests.

Chelsea went into the World Cup break in dismal form, losing their last three league matches against Newcastle, Arsenal and Potter's former club Brighton, and going down 2-0 at Manchester City in the EFL Cup.

Before that hat-trick of league losses, the Blues had been held to draws away to Brentford and at home to Manchester United so they are on a winless run of five matches in the top flight and have scored just one goal from open play in their last six domestic games.

Bournemouth's first four results on their return to the Premier League included defeats to champions City, Arsenal and Liverpool by an aggregate score of 16-0 but they are unlikely to roll over against a disjointed Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge.

Promotion-winning manager Scott Parker was sacked after the 9-0 rout at Anfield in August but the Cherries have put together a solid run of form under his successor Gary O'Neil.

Bournemouth have been beaten by more than a one-goal margin only once in 13 matches in all competitions under O'Neil – a 2-0 loss at West Ham, whose second goal was a 92nd-minute penalty.

Since then they let slip two-goal leads to lose 3-2 to Tottenham and 4-3 at Leeds, before beating Everton 4-1 in the EFL Cup and 3-0 in the league, and losing 1-0 at Newcastle in Tuesday's League Cup last-16 tie.

The underlying stats suggests Bournemouth have been a little flattered by their results under O'Neil, which explains why they are still so short in the relegation betting, but they pose a goal threat through Kieffer Moore, Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing and Marcus Tavernier, and Chelsea look ill-equipped to expose the Cherries' defensive vulnerability.

Bournemouth's squad was hit by a virus before the EFL Cup trip to Newcastle, who needed a 68th-minute Adam Smith own goal to settle the tie, but Chelsea are not in great shape either.

Croatia's Mateo Kovacic and Morocco's Hakim Ziyech faced each other in the World Cup third-place playoff and are unlikely to feature against Bournemouth while it was a disappointing tournament for Chelsea's internationals representing Senegal, Spain, Germany and England.

Wesley Fofana and Armando Broja were injured during the World Cup break – striker Broja is out for the season – and it is hard to see Potter's attacking unit suddenly discovering the fluency they lacked before the club season was put on hold.

Bournemouth's takeover by American businessman Bill Foley was ratified by the Premier League shortly before Christmas and the Cherries can put on a decent show in their first league fixture of the new era.