Tottenham vs Bournemouth preview, team news, H2H, line-ups and prediction

Tottenham Hotspur will hope to shake off their recent slump against Brighton and Hove Albion as they welcome an in-form Bournemouth side to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

After recording three straight victories on the trot against Newcastle United, Nottingham, and Everton, Spurs received a reality check when they were already 4:0 down against Brighton at the American Express Stadium, before rallying back to half the deficit.

Having put up a string of reflex saves in the victory over Everton, Guglielmo Vicario was once again in hand to keep Tottenham in the game during the opening minutes after two great saves from Danny Welbeck’s attempts.

However, Tottenham’s defence were ball-watching as João Pedro danced his way through to lay a pass on the platter for Jack Hinshelwood to strike home. João Pedro was in hand again to double The Seagulls lead with a cooly dispatched penalty after Dejan Kulusevski committed a foul in the box.

Pervis Estupinan marked an eventful return to the starting lineup with an incredible strike to extend Brighton’s lead before João Pedro quadrupled Brighton’s lead with another cooly dispatched penalty, sending Vicario the wrong way for the second time.

Ange Postecoglou’s side rallied back with a mirage of attack as Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Richarlison struck the post. Substitute, Alejo Véliz recorded his first Premier League goal since he arrived from Rosario Central, while Ben Davies connected with Pedro Porro’s cross to half the deficit for Spurs. The late string of attack was not enough as Brighton held on to secure all three points.

With victory over Brighton, Spurs would have been on equal points(39) with third-placed Aston Villa, above Manchester City who are fourth with 37 points and just two points behind League leaders, Liverpool. With Thursday’s defeat, Tottenham still remain in fifth place.

Spurs will now have to return to winning ways against Andoni Iraola’s led Bournemouth side. Another defeat could see West Ham United leapfrog them to fifth place.

Bournemouth have been in a remarkable run of form, picking up 19 points from a possible 21 in their last seven matches in the Premier League. The Cherries have most notably recorded four consecutive victories in a row over Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Fulham and will hope to extend this run of form when they travel to North London to face Tottenham.

Andoni Iraola’s side are on an incredible run of scoring multiple goals in the Premier League, having scored at least two goals in their last seven matches. They are also on course for their fifth successive victory in the top flight for the first time in their club’s history.

Tottenham v Bournemouth match details

• Date: Sunday, 31st December 2023
• Kick-off time: 9 am ET, 7:30 PM IST, 2:00 PM GMT
• Location: London, England
• Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
• Referee: Simon Hooper
• Assistant referees: Adrian Holmes, Simon Long
• Fourth Official: Graham Scott
• b: David Coote
• Assistant VAR: Natalie Aspinall
• Tickets: Match going supporters can buy Spurs tickets through official club channels and via trusted resellers.

Match stats and Head-to-Head 

Bournemouth showcase an impressive goal-scoring form, having scored two or more goals in their previous seven Premier League matches.

Dominic Solanke demonstrates a prolific goal-scoring run, having netted eight goals in his last seven Premier League appearances

Bournemouth remain unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games, triumphing in six and drawing one, consistently scoring two or more goals in each of these encounters.

Spurs continue their scoring consistency, having scored in each of their previous 31 Premier League matches, marking the lengthiest active streak in the division.

In Tottenham’s home fixtures, over 2.5 goals have been recorded in seven out of their nine league games, including the last five.

Bournemouth face challenges against Tottenham, having secured victory in only two of their last 13 meetings, with two draws and nine losses.

Spurs boast a remarkable goal record against Bournemouth, scoring 32 goals in their last 13 encounters, averaging 2.5 goals per game.

Bournemouth have experienced a recurring pattern of losing their final league games in four out of the last five calendar years.

Dominic Solanke emerges as the second-highest scorer in the Premier League this season, impressively notching 12 goals, including a recent hat trick against Nottingham Forest.

Son Heung-min, serving as Spurs’ new captain, delivers a stellar performance with 16 goals/assists in 19 Premier League games, showcasing impactful leadership in the absence of Harry Kane.

Team news

Ange Postecoglou faces ongoing challenges as several key players remain sidelined for Tottenham. Yves Bissouma’s suspension has left a void in the midfield, impacting the team’s strategic options. James Maddison, dealing with an ankle injury, is expected to be out until the new year.

The defensive department also grapples with setbacks, with Micky van de Ven nursing a hamstring injury, keeping him out until the new year while Christian Romero has been ruled out for up to five weeks after picking up an injury in the 2:1 victory over Everton.

Ryan Sessegnon is still a long-term absentee following a thigh problem while Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic are still out with Knee injuries.

Rodrigo Bentancur suffered a setback after returning in October and is out until the new year.

Bournemouth’s head coach Andoni Iraola will have to deal with several injury challenges ahead of the club’s upcoming match against Tottenham.

Tyler Adams is sidelined with a hamstring injury, and he’s joined on the list of absentees by Ryan Fredericks (calf), Lloyd Kelly (thigh), Hamed Traore (illness), and Emiliano Marcondes (ankle). Milos Kerkez and Darren Randolph are both listed as questionable, adding to the uncertainty around Bournemouth’s lineup for the match.

Predicted starting line-ups:

Tottenham Predicted Starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Dier, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Hojberg; Gil, Lo Celso, Johnson; Son

Bournemouth Predicted starting lineup:

Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Ouattara; Scott, Christie; Semenyo, Kluivert, Travernier; Solanke

Prediction

Ange Postecoglu will seek to return to winning ways in their quest for a top-four finish. Although Tottenham poses a favorable head-to-head record, the current Bournemouth team led by Andoni Iraola is different as they are effective at both ends of the pitch.

Tottenham are expected to lead in possession but Bournemouth’s solid defence anchored by Illia Zabarnyi could prove vital in this match.

The Cherries attack are also gun blazing as the trio of Solanke, Antoine Semenyo, and Justin Kluivert could cause Spurs problems.

A high-scoring affair is expected in this fixture.