Bournemouth v West Ham: Match Preview, Team News, Predicted XI | Premier League 2018-19
After an impressive victory last week against London rivals Arsenal, the Hammers travel south to the Vitality stadium to face Bournemouth on Saturday for a match that promises exciting football.
After a bright start to the season for Eddie Howe and his men, Bournemouth finds themselves in a slump with the Cherries failing to win in their last 5 matches in all competitions. 1 victory in last 9 matches has seen the Cherries falling to 12th in the table. A victory will see them rising as high as to the 10 spot in the league.
After a shaky start to the season, the Hammers seems to have finally started adapting to the Pellegrini system with a single loss in their last 5 matches in all competitions and sitting 9th in the table level on points with Leicester City and a point behind 7th placed Watford. A victory will see the Hammers leapfrogging 2 places to 7th in the league.
The last encounter in the league between the sides saw the Cherries beating the Hammers 2-1 away at the Olympic Stadium in August.
Here is the team news and the predicted XI
Team News
Bournemouth
Simon Francis, Adam Smith and Lewis Cook are all long term absentees while new signing Dominic Solanke is still recovering from a hamstring injury.
Top Scorer Callum Wilson faces a late fitness test to confirm his availability.
West Ham United
Jack Wilshere, Fabian Balbuena, Andriy Yarmolenko, Manuel Lanzini, Winston Reid and Carlos Sanchez are all out injured while Ryan Fredericks has returned back to training.
Mexican forward Javier Hernandez is expected to lead the attack, after almost a month out, with Marko Arnautovic left over a potential transfer to China.
Probable Lineup
Bournemouth (4-4-1-1): Begovic; Clyne, Cook, Ake, Smith; Fraser, Lerma, Gosling, Stanislas; Brooks, Wilson.
West Ham United(4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Zabaleta, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Noble, Rice; Anderson, Nasri, Antonio; Hernandez.