Fifth-placed Chelsea FC will be under particular scrutiny at Stamford Bridge when Enzo Maresca’s team hosts Andoni Iraola’s AFC Bournemouth on matchday 19. With 29 points, three behind Liverpool and just ahead of Manchester United, Chelsea are close to Michael Owen’s predicted top-four finish, but the 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa and their fluctuating form in the league make this Tuesday night game a must-win, despite them being clear favorites with the bookmakers, where it’s worth checking out the best sports betting providers before placing a bet. Bournemouth travel in 15th place with 22 points after a painful 4-1 defeat at Brentford extended their winless league run and are in desperate need of points. Antoine Semenyo, now with nine goals and three assists and surrounded by intense speculation about Manchester City, is their most important offensive player, and after a 0-0 draw between these teams on December 6, part of a series of tough encounters, it could be closer again than the odds suggest.
- Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
- Date and time: December 30, 2025, 8:30 p.m.
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 19)
The betting market sees Chelsea as clear favorites at around 1.6, and while our tips support “Chelsea to win,” they place more emphasis on goals, as Maresca’s team is one of the most dangerous offenses in Europe and often only really breaks open games late on. Bournemouth are still without a win, have conceded regularly since that 4-1 defeat at Brentford, are without Tyler Adams and seem distracted by the transfer rumors surrounding Semenyo. Against this backdrop, over 2.5 goals in the game and over 1.5 goals after halftime seem well supported.
Chelsea Form & Record Check
FC Chelsea go into this game against Bournemouth in mixed but overall competitive form. The team is fifth in the Premier League with 29 points, three behind Liverpool and level on points with Manchester United, and with the race for Champions League places so tight, their recent run of two wins, one draw, and two defeats in all competitions is as frustrating as it is encouraging. The 2-0 home win against Everton showed quite clearly what Enzo Maresca wants to see, with Chelsea controlling the pitch, creating regular chances and remaining compact defensively. This was followed by a 3-1 win at Cardiff in the League Cup quarterfinals, but the 2-1 defeat at Atalanta in the Champions League, the 2-2 draw at Newcastle, and the subsequent 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa exposed problems in game management and a tendency to lose discipline in the closing stages. These games fit into a clear pattern: Chelsea have scored in each of their last five games in all competitions, with every game ending with at least two goals, most with three or more. This highlights an attack that is often built around João Pedro, Palmer, and Pedro Neto and constantly poses a threat, while the defense continues to offer the opposition chances, especially in more open second halves. In the wider European context, Chelsea ranks 13th in the current form table, with 25 points from 14 games and a positive adjusted goal difference. One might think that Maresca’s positional play is still coming together, with ball circulation appearing largely fluid, but at the same time, the team is vulnerable in transition phases and on set pieces, even if adjustments such as leaving players free up front help on the counterattack. Personnel problems contribute to this fluctuation: Colwill is out long term, Lavia remains unavailable, and the wing options are depleted by Mudryk’s suspension and Sterling’s omission. This places more responsibility on James, Enzo, Caicedo, and especially Palmer, whose nomination at Globe Soccer underscores his influence. Given the talent available, many would say that fifth place is the minimum, and the coming weeks will show whether this group can take the next step.
Chelsea are expected to stick with their predicted 4-2-3-1 formation, with Sánchez in goal, a back four of James, Chalobah, Badiashile, and Cucurella, Caicedo and Enzo as double sixes, and an attacking line of Neto, Palmer, and Garnacho behind João Pedro. In this system, James could move inside to support the build-up play, while Cucurella acts more defensively to stabilize the transitions. Colwill’s cruciate ligament injury, Lavia’s ongoing muscle strain, and Mudryk’s suspension mean that the predicted defense and midfield are unlikely to change, while Disasi and Sterling remain out of the first team. This keeps the wide positions relatively stable, making Neto and Garnacho strong candidates for another start, although Maresca could still turn to options such as Gusto or Estêvão if he wants more pace or additional control.
Bournemouth Form & Record Check
Bournemouth arrive at Stamford Bridge in shaky Premier League form, winless in five games and sitting 15th in the table with 22 points, just behind Newcastle and only slightly ahead of Leeds. Draws against Everton, Chelsea, and Burnley were followed by a wild 4-4 draw with Manchester United and a heavy 4-1 defeat at Brentford, with the overall trend pointing downwards rather than upwards. The defeat to Brentford highlighted recurring problems, with Djordje Petrovic’s own goal and hesitant defending from Bafodé Diakité and Marcos Senesi exposing a defense that flounders as soon as the pressing is bypassed. In their last five league games, Bournemouth have never led at halftime and have conceded goals in the second half in most games, suggesting a lack of concentration or physical decline as games open up. Offensively, the team remains dangerous, with analysts highlighting 26 goals from the first 17 league games spread across the squad, but this output has brought neither control nor consistent points. Antoine Semenyo, with eight league goals and three assists and fresh off his goal at Brentford, is the clear reference point, although constant rumors of a possible January move to Manchester City could test his concentration in the short term. In the wider context, it is important to note that Iraola led Bournemouth to a club record 9th place finish last season, with one of the strongest defenses in the league, so their current 15th place position with a negative goal difference is clearly below internal expectations. There is little room for maneuver, with Newcastle just one point ahead of them and Leeds only two behind, so the next few results will have a big say in whether it feels like a secure mid-table position or a slide into trouble. Personnel problems are real, with Tyler Adams and Ben Gannon Doak out, Alex Jimenez and Semenyo one yellow card away from suspension, and Justin Kluivert and Adrien Truffert already on three yellow cards. Against this backdrop, Iraola is being touted as a future Newcastle manager, but his own team currently looks less like the aggressive, compact unit of last season and more like a creative team that doesn’t protect itself well enough.
Bournemouth are expected to stick with a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, at least in the predicted starting lineup, with Petrovic in goal behind Smith, Diakité, Senesi, and Truffert. Cook and Scott are expected to stabilize the midfield, with Tavernier acting as a more offensive link to the front. Semenyo and Jiménez will provide width on the flanks around Evanilson, maintaining the same attacking core that has regularly created chances despite the winless league run. This is clearly a projection and not a confirmed team announcement. Adams and Gannon-Doak remain sidelined with injuries, removing two rotation options in midfield and on the wings, so the predicted starting eleven once again relies on Cook, Scott, Semenyo, and Tavernier as the main drivers of the game. Semenyo and Jiménez are both just one yellow card away from suspension, and with Semenyo’s future uncertain, Kluivert, Christie, or Adli could see more minutes off the bench as the game progresses.
Chelsea – Bournemouth Head-to-Head & Statistics
Chelsea have the clear upper hand in the last five Premier League meetings, with two wins and three draws, so Bournemouth are still waiting for a win in this series. The series dates back to 2023 and includes three away games for Chelsea on the south coast and two games in London, making it a meaningful sample rather than a one-off. The goal tally has remained modest, with a total of eight goals scored, five for Chelsea and three for Bournemouth, averaging 1.6 per game. Four of these five games ended with three goals or fewer. Interestingly, all five games were goalless at halftime, with every goal in this series coming after the break, suggesting very cautious opening phases. Home advantage has not been a decisive factor, although it slightly favors Chelsea. At Stamford Bridge, they recorded a win and a draw in 2024 and January 2025, scoring four goals and conceding three. Bournemouth’s three home games during this period yielded two draws and one defeat, and they have yet to score there in this recent Premier League series against Chelsea. Looking ahead to the December 2025 meeting, Chelsea go into the game on a five-game unbeaten run in this fixture, while Bournemouth can point to gradual progress. The encounters in January 2025 and December 2025 both ended in draws, including the 0-0 in December 2025, so Iraola’s team knows it can frustrate Chelsea, even if Maresca has historically had the upper hand.
