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Bournemouth vs Burnley Match Preview: Classic Encounter, Key Battles, Team News & More
Burnley travel to Bournemouth for their midweek Premier League fixture on Wednesday night.
The Cherries may be the more confident side going into this match, as after a difficult beginning to their season, Eddie Howe's men are now unbeaten in their last three league matches.
Sean Dyche's Burnley side will be looking to recover from a painful defeat to Arsenal last weekend. The Clarets' run of three consecutive Premier League wins was ended by an injury-time penalty against the Gunners.
Both teams will have something to play for on Wednesday night. For Bournemouth, they will aim to maintain their good run of form. For Burnley, they will need a result to keep hold of their lofty position towards the top of the Premier League table.
Here's how both teams are shaping up ahead of this clash.
Classic Encounter
Bournemouth vs Burnley is not the most historic tie in English football. The two clubs have only met each other 26 times in their respective histories, but you do not have to look back far to recall a thrilling result in this fixture.
Just last season Burnley and Bournemouth put on a a five goal thriller, with Burnley coming out the 3-2 victors in this tie in December 2016. Jeff Hendrick started the proceedings in style when his stunning half volley put the Clarets one nil up after 13 minutes. Stephen Ward then doubled Burnley's lead just three minutes later.
Bournemouth got one back late in the first half through Benik Afobe to halve Burnley's lead. In the second half, a back-heel from Andre Gray found George Boyd who extended Burnley's lead once again. A late Charlie Daniels consolation goal for Bournemouth was not enough to draw the Cherries level.
Burnley ended a run of three successive defeats with the win against Bournemouth. Meanwhile, defeat meant that the Cherries moved into the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Key Battles
Callum Wilson vs James Tarkowski & Ben Mee
James Tarkowski and Ben Mee have played every minute of Burnley's 2017/18 Premier League campaign. As the Clarets' first choice centre-back partnership they have kept six clean sheets and conceded just ten goals from 13 league matches.
Burnley have proven to be a tough side to break down this season, evidenced by their match against Arsenal last weekend. An injury-time penalty was all that separated the Clarets and the Gunners on the day.
The man who will be tasked with finding a gap in this strong Burnley defence is Bournemouth's Callum Wilson.
Wilson quickly showed Bournemouth fans how much they missed him while he was injured after he scored a hat-trick against Huddersfield Town. With Jermain Defoe injured, Wilson is surely Bournemouth's most dangerous attacking threat and the one Mee and Tarkowski will have try and keep out on Wednesday.
Sean Dyche vs Eddie Howe
Two similar managers face off on Wednesday night. Both at their respective clubs since 2012, they are two of the league's longest serving managers. They are also two well regarded managers who have been tipped for success and linked with moves to 'bigger' clubs.
This will be the third meeting between Dyche and Howe in the Premier League and so far they have shared the spoils with a win a piece.
They have both proven that they can snatch results against the bigger clubs but with Bournemouth and Burnley surely each hoping for a top ten finish this season, Dyche and Howe will battle not only for Premier League places, but for the title of the next biggest prospect in English management.
Team News
Jermain Defoe and Junior Stanislas will face late tests to be fit in time for Wednesday night's fixture as their pair look to recover from respective calf and groin injuries.
Simon Francis will return from suspension after he picked up two yellow cards in Bournemouth's win against Huddersfield Town. Tyrone Mings and Brad Smith remain ruled out of action for Bournemouth.
Burnley will still be without goalkeeper Tom Heaton as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury. Jonathan Walters has returned to light training but will not be ready for match time yet.
Potential Bournemouth Starting Lineup: Begovic; Francis, Cook, Ake, Daniels; Ibe, Arter, Surman, Pugh; King, Wilson
Potential Burnley Starting Lineup: Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward; Gudmundsson, Defour, Cork, Brady, Hendrick; Wood
Prediction
With Bournemouth on the ascendancy, they will surely look to take advantage of the fact that Burnley are coming off of a very disappointing defeat.
The Cherries also have a tough December coming up where they will have to face Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City all in a row. So any points they can collect now will be vital for them.
This is likely to be a close game, and one where Bournemouth could hand Burnley their first consecutive defeats of the season.
Prediction Bournemouth 1 - 0 Burnley
