Key events
2 min: Corner for Bournemouth as they pinch the ball in midfield and break. Semenyo slides past a defender and plays a ball out wide but the cross is deflected. There’s a big of argy bargy in the box so the corner is delayed.
Palmer kicks off and away we go!
Righto… the players have made their way out of the tunnel and are shaking hands and getting ready to go!
Bournemouth in their black and red stripes are playing a 4-5-1. Chelsea in a really slick white number with blue trim have gone for a 4-2-3-1.
Another Chelsea fan, Claire McConnell, has a bone to pick with our chief sports writer:
You ask how we fans feel re articles about Chelsea owners’ fighting. The article that annoyed me the most this week was by Barney Ronay, with the headline saying it was about the demise of Man U, and the first 2 paragraphs were all about Chelsea. Very cheap shot I thought.
Here is the offending article:
I’m interested to see how Nicolas Jackson goes up front for Chelsea.
This week he signed a nine year contract extension, keeping him at the club until 2033. Nine. Nine! Utter lunacy. I didn’t know they gave out contracts that long. I’m sure none of this will blow up in anyone’s face.
Good thing they’ve got 37 players in reserve.
Some strong views from Chelsea fan Matt Muir:
You asked Chelsea fans what they think of the ‘battle for supremacy’. This one thinks it’s a miserable example of exactly why private equity is a cancer. A plague on all their houses (though probably Eghbali’s, Stewart’s and Winstanley’s most of all). It’s horrible seeing your club being used (badly) as an investment vehicle; being a billionaire’s plaything was far more fun.
Thanks for all the hard work, it’s very much appreciated. Hope it’s an entertaining game for your sake.
Cheers Matt. And though I don’t have a dog in this fight, I hope you at least find some joy in the entertainment this evening. I feel your frustration.
It wasn’t too long ago that Jadon Sancho was considered one of the most exciting prospects in the English game.
But his career fell of a cliff in Manchester and it looked as if he’d never fulfil his promise.
He’s been given a second chance at Chelsea and has got the full backing of his new boss.
There have been more stories about Chelsea’s off-field operations than what they’ve produced on the pitch.
It’s great for journalists, like Jacob Steinberg, but must be maddening for their fans.
What do you make of this latest “battle for supremacy”?
I don’t believe it! For the second game in a row, Everton have seen a 2-0 lead become a 3-2 deficit. What on earth is wrong with that team?
So, what do we make of the teams?
The first thing to note is that Kepa Arrizabalaga is unavailable for Bournemouth as he’s on loan from Chelsea so Mark Travers starts in goal. Otherwise there’s just one change from that insane comeback win over Everton as Adam Smith replaces Julian Araujo.
Chelsea look a touch defensive. Two changes from their last outing as Axel Disasi and Renato Veiga replace the injured duo of Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez. Jadon Sancho could make his Chelsea debut off the bench.
Bournemouth v Chelsea line-ups
Bournemouth: Travers, Kerkez, Cook, Senesi, Evanilson, Christie, Smith (c), Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo, Zabarnyi.
Subs: Dennis, Huijsen, Brooks, Scott, Sinisterra, Araujo, Hill, Ennes Ünal, Philip.
Chelsea: Sanchez, Disasi, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella, Veiga, Caicedo (c), Palmer, Madueke, Neto, Jackson.
Subs: Jorgensen, Tosin, Badiashile, Casadei, Mudryk, Sancho, Feliz, Nkunku, Guiu.
Here’s a rundown of today’s matches with reports:
And over at Villa Park, Everton have once again blown a 2-0 lead and are now level thanks to a double from Ollie Watkins.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
Hello and welcome to the final game of this stacked Saturday. We’ve already seen a kinda good, kinda terrible Man United trounce Southampton, Erling Haaland fail to score a hat-trick of hat-tricks and Nottingham Forest win at Anfield for the first time since 1969.
Have we saved the best for last? I certainly hope so. And if Bournemouth’s last outing – where they turned a 2-0 deficit at 86 minutes against Everton into a 3-2 win – is anything to go by, then we’re in for a treat.
Of course making predictions when Chelsea is involved is almost impossible. Never mind their erratic performances, their gargantuan squad means we genuinely don’t know who will turn up.
The Blues will start as favourites but Bournemouth’s players and fans can look at the league table and take confidence in the fact that their side sits three places above their guests this evening and – unlike their guests – are still undefeated.
It all gets going at 8pm BST but before then I’ll bring you news and updates from the camps as well as the line-ups once they drop.
As always, if you have any thoughts or feelings and fancy sharing them with the group, drop me a mail.
