AFC Bournemouth welcome Leicester City to the Vitality Stadium tomorrow, with both sides in desperate need of a victory to climb the Premier League table. It’s not been the start Eddie Howe or Craig Shakespeare would have wanted for their respective clubs.
The Cherries are currently second from bottom – just two places below their opponents. However, the season is still young and three points here would be a much-needed tonic ahead of the international break.
Recent form
Bournemouth looked to have turned a corner with victory over Brighton a fortnight ago, only to suffer an agonising defeat to Everton last time out when they looked to have had the game won.
That was the Cherries’ fifth reversal from six matches this term. Leicester’s form has not been much better. They are on a four-game winless streak and succumbed to Liverpool last weekend. Like Bournemouth, the Foxes’ sole triumph came over newly-promoted Brighton.
Team news
Howe will be unable to call on defender Tyrone Mings, who has been ruled out for at least a month with a back complaint. Striker Callum Wilson has returned to first-team training following his recovery from a serious knee injury, but is unlikely to be rushed back.
For Leicester, Jamie Vardy faces a fitness test on a persistent hip problem that has caused his omission from the England squad. Matty James and Robert Huth are both ruled out through calf and ankle injuries, respectively.
Predicted line-ups
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Match prediction: Bournemouth 2-1 Leicester City
The outcome of this fixture may depend on the availability of Vardy, who is such a talismanic figure for Leicester. Shakespeare’s side struggle for goals when he is on the sidelines. Bournemouth played well without reward against Everton last week and will fancy their chances of recording back-to-back home victories.