AFC Bournemouth vs Chelsea Predictions

• Chelsea have won just one of their last eight games in the Premier League
• The Blues conceded in 15 of their 19 away games in the league last term
• Philip Billing was Bournemouth’s top scorer in the league last season

Chelsea’s struggles set to continue

A 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the international break indicated it could be another testing season for Chelsea, who are worth opposing on the road to Bournemouth on Sunday.

The Blues finished a humiliating 12th in the Premier League last season and following another summer of comings and goings, they have made a slow start to the new campaign under Mauricio Pochettino.

The season began with a respectable 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge before a 3-1 defeat to London rivals West Ham.

They restored some pride with a 3-0 win over new boys Luton Town but lost to Forest in their final game before the break despite winning the shot count 21-7 and seeing 77 per cent of the ball.

That defeat leaves Chelsea on just four points from as many games and they are once again locked in mid-table obscurity.

Cherries show promise in opening weeks

Bournemouth are worse off as it stands with just two points on the board from four matches themselves but they have had a tough start with three of the teams they have faced stationed in the Champions League spots before the international break.

And even though they failed to beat any of West Ham, Liverpool and Tottenham, they were by no means disgraced in any of those matches and could be more competitive against Chelsea.

Andoni Iraola was renowned for his attacking philosophy at former club Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth have impressed on the front foot in their last two games, beating Swansea 3-2 in the EFL Cup and earning a 2-2 draw away to Brentford.

Pochettino is still trying to work out his best combination at Chelsea and Bournemouth are worth chancing in the draw-no-bet market, in which stakes are returned in the event of a stalemate.

This also looks as though it could be a high-scoring fixture with both teams having scored in ten of Chelsea’s 19 road trips in the league last term and 2-1 to the Cherries looks a decent correct score prediction.

Billing can strike for Bournemouth

Ace midfielder Philip Billing is yet to score in the Premier League for Bournemouth this season but it is not for lack of trying.

No Cherries player has had more shots than Billing (nine) in the league this term and the Dane was the club’s leading scorer in the Premier League last campaign with seven strikes.

It is only a matter of time until he hits a patch of goalscoring form and he is worth selecting to score against the Blues.