EPL – Match Preview – AFC Bournemouth vs Leicester City

AFC Bournemouth will be looking for back-to-back wins when they host Leicester City at the Vitality Stadium this weekend. However, the Foxes are currently undefeated after three rounds of play and look vastly improved unnder new manager Claudio Ranieri.

Home side Bournemouth managed their first win of the season last week against West Ham United and will have to find similar form in front of goal if they’re to overcome a Leicester side that currently sits in second place.

In the opening weeks, both sides have displayed an ability to score goals. Leicester have scored seven goals in their opening fixtures, while Bournemouth come in from last week’s free-for-all at Upton Park, where they netted four goals, three of which went to Callum Wilson. If this recent form is anything to go by, the two sides will not be sitting back and tactically sizing each other up; expect two sides doing their best to take away the three points.

Key Battle – Callum Wilson vs Riyad Mahrez

Although they probably won’t encounter one another much on the day, both have proven themselves as goal-getters for their respective sides.

Wilson has a history of tearing up Championship defenses and is no doubt enjoying a purple patch of form after scoring his first career hattrick on the weekend. Speedy, persistent and with an eye for goal, there aren’t many sides that wouldn’t be cautious of the young Englishman at this point.

On the other side of the clash, Mahrez has been leading the line in the goal department at Leicester. The French-born Algerian international has scored four goals in Leicester’s opening three fixtures and currently sits atop the EPL scorer list.  Mahrez achievements so far this season are made all the more impressive by the fact that he operates as a wide option in Leicester’s midfield.

They may play at opposite sides of the park, but this isn’t a direct showdown. Instead, it will be a case of which player can better break down the opposing defence. Don’t be surprised if the game comes down to a clinical finish produced by either one of these players.

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Team News

Eddie Howe appears loyal to the what is essentially the Bournemouth of yesteryear, having only making two changes to the side that appeared on opening day. Marc Pugh seems to have found his way the bench in favor of Max Gradel, while Harry Arter’s injury should see Eunan O’Kane come into the starting side.

AFC Bournemouth (4-4-1-1): Boruc; Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie, Surman, O’Kane, Gradel; King; Wilson.

Howe has made a couple changes to his side- but his Leicester counterpart, Claudio Ranieri has made literally no changes to his starting eleven over the course of the first three rounds. Given their impressive record thus far, the Italian should have no reason to change a successful formula.

Leicester City (4-4-2): Schmeichel; de Laet, Morgan, Huth, Schlupp; Mahrez, Drinkwater, King, Albrighton; Okazaki, Vardy.

Previous Meetings

These two sides have met on nine previous occasions over the last half a century, with Leicester winning on six of those occasions, Bournemouth taking out the other three. Most recently, the teams met during the 2013/14 League Championship, with Leicester winning both encounters that season with an overall aggregate of 3-1. The two sides have never drawn a match against one another.

Prediction

Leicester are the favorites on paper, but Bournemouth and their ‘can-do’ attitude has managed to keep every game within arms reach, conceding reasonably unlucky goals in their 1-0 defeats to both Aston Villa and Liverpool. Leicester appear to be a capable side when it comes to finding the net, but they’re coming up against a Bournemouth side that has shown they’re more than happy to take a hit and keep coming. Expect a turbulent, back and forth game that will end with the points being shared.

AFC Bournemouth 2 Leicester City 2

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