Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace Prediction: 26/12/2024

Bournemouth has been one of the most surprising teams of the Premier League season, currently holding 6th place in the standings. Their recent performances have been particularly impressive, with three consecutive victories over Wolverhampton (2-4), Tottenham (1-0), and Ipswich (1-2), as well as a draw at home against West Ham (1-1). For a team typically considered a minor player in English football, these results have been a pleasant surprise. Bournemouth will head to Manchester United on Sunday with strong momentum.

On the other hand, Crystal Palace has had a tough start to the season, sitting in 15th place, just four points above the relegation zone. Despite this, the team managed to put together a five-match unbeaten streak in the league (2 wins, 3 draws), although they were eliminated by Arsenal in the English League Cup quarter-finals, losing 3-2. They will face Arsenal again in the Premier League on Saturday.

Bournemouth’s injury list remains consistent, with defenders Araujo and Senesi still out, along with midfielder Scott and wingers Tavernier and Sinisterra, who have contributed to the team’s attack. Recently, Ünal netted his first goals of the season but still trails Evanilson, Semenyo, and Kluivert in the goal-scoring charts.

For Crystal Palace, important players like defender Rias and right-back Ward are still unavailable, along with midfielders França and Wharton. In attack, Mateta, who recently scored his 7th goal of the season in the Coupe de la Ligue, and Sarr, who has 3 goals across all competitions, are among their key offensive threats.

Prediction

Bournemouth has gained a reputation for their exciting attacking style, but despite this, their last 13 home games in the Premier League have each featured no more than three goals. Crystal Palace, with similar struggles in attack, is also likely to produce a low-scoring match.

Prediction: Bournemouth 1-1 Crystal Palace.