Bournemouth vs Brighton tips and predictions: Cherries to down Seagulls to keep heat on Chelsea
- Seb Sternik
- 26 April 2024
A south-coast clash is brewing in Bournemouth as the Cherries prepare to welcome Brighton to the Vitality stadium this Sunday afternoon (1400 BST).
Hopes were high for Brighton at the start of the season. Roberto De Zerbi’s men won five of their opening six matches and even sat top of the table for a short time.
Inevitably, balancing European duties with weekly Premier League action took its toll on the Seagulls.
The south-coast side are in the midst of a big injury crisis and recent results certainly haven’t improved morale.
Brighton’s 4-0 defeat to Man City on Thursday took their winless run to five straight games. In fact, the club have only picked up two wins from their last 11 competitive outings.
Bournemouth, on the other hand, are doing better than anyone ever expected. The Cherries have gone from relegation contenders to mid-table challengers in a space of a few months.
Andoni Iraola’s men enter the weekend just two points adrift of Chelsea. This means if the Blues slip up against Aston Villa and the Cherries pick up a win, they will leapfrog their billionaire rivals into ninth – an astounding achievement.
We’re backing Bournemouth to do their bit and pick up a victory over a struggling Brighton side.
Iraola’s side have picked up five wins from nine games and only endured a couple of defeats along the way.
The hosts to win the match to nil is the way to go.
Team news
Bournemouth are without Romain Faivre, Ryan Fredericks, Luis Sinisterra, Marcus Tavernier and the suspended Milos Kerkez.
Brighton, meanwhile, are missing Pervis Estupinan, Evan Ferguson, Billy Gilmour, Jack Hinshelwood, Tariq Lamptey, Solomon March, James Milner and Kaoru Mitoma.
Key stats
- Brighton won on their last trip to the Vitality stadium but they haven’t won consecutive games at the ground since 1932
- Bournemouth have lost 67.5% of Premier League games played on a Sunday which is the highest rate in the competition’s history
- Brighton have lost three of their last five Premier League games played on a Sunday
- Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last five Premier League home games
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