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Chelsea host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday in Matchday six of the Premier League, with Xabi Alonso's side sitting 10th on seven points and Marco Rose's Bournemouth 17th on three.
The Blues have seen their early-season form stall, having now gone three top-flight matches without a win, while the Cherries are one of three teams yet to register a league victory in the division.
Chelsea vs Bournemouth: form and preview
Chelsea have won two, drawn one and lost two of their five Premier League matches this season, scoring 10 goals and conceding 12.
Both of those league wins needed goals rather than control, a 3-2 victory at Fulham on the opening weekend followed by a 4-3 home win over Brighton.
A 2-1 defeat at champions Arsenal then preceded one of Chelsea's better nights of the season, a fightback from 2-0 down to beat Leeds United 6-3 in the EFL Cup.
That cup win was sandwiched by two flatter league displays either side of the international break, a 2-2 home draw with Hull City and a 3-0 defeat at Brentford.
Chelsea have conceded at least twice in every Premier League match they have played this season, the clearest thread running through an otherwise mixed start under Alonso.
Bournemouth have not won a Premier League match all season, drawing three and losing two, with six goals scored and eight conceded.
Three of their last four league matches have finished level, starting with a 1-1 result with Everton before consecutive 2-2 stalemates versus Newcastle United and Brentford.
That sequence came to an end on a negative note, as Rose's side suffered a narrow 1-0 home loss to Liverpool just before the break, marking their second top-flight defeat of the campaign following their 2-1 reverse on the opening weekend at Manchester City.
The winless league start sits oddly alongside life in the cups, where the Cherries thrashed Lincoln City 4-0 in the EFL Cup and made a perfect start to their first-ever Europa League campaign, winning 2-1 away at Real Sociedad.
That early cup form has been one of the few sources of encouragement since Rose succeeded Andoni Iraola, who left the club at the end of last season and has since taken charge of Liverpool.
Both sides currently sit on a goal difference of minus two, which underlines how tight this fixture is on current form despite the seven-place gap in the table.
Team news and predicted lineups: Chelsea vs Bournemouth
Chelsea team news
Joao Pedro has been passed fit after the knee injury that kept him out of the Brentford loss and his international duty with Brazil, with Xabi Alonso confirming he has trained and is available again, though a recall to the starting XI is not guaranteed.
Moises Caicedo has failed to shake off his calf problem in time and drops out of the squad picture for this one, with Romeo Lavia in line to deputise in central midfield.
Reece James remains a doubt with his thigh issue and may not be risked in the latest lineup, with Jordan Henderson in line to start alongside Romeo Lavia in central midfield instead.
Jamie Gittens is also missing with the ankle injury that has reportedly left him on crutches, though Marco Palestra and Emmanuel Emegha have both been training with the squad this week, a sign that neither is far away from being back in contention.
Cole Palmer withdrew from England duty due to a groin issue, though it would not be a surprise if Chelsea's number 10 were available for this encounter.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Bournemouth
Predicted lineup (3-4-2-1): Martinez; Colwill, Lacroix, Fofana; Chavarria, Lavia, Henderson, Neto; Rogers, Palmer; Welbeck.
Bournemouth team news
Alex Scott is the most significant absentee, with Rose telling reporters on 8 October that the thigh injury will keep him out for four to five weeks, calling it “a big loss,” and the timing is pointed given Scott has previously been linked with a move to Chelsea themselves.
Julian Araujo, Justin Kluivert, Veljko Milosavljevic and Amine Adli are all also out, with the manager targeting an October return for Kluivert, Milosavljevic and Adli.
David Brooks is back in full training after his own knock and is in contention, though he remains a game-time call rather than a confirmed starter.
Bournemouth predicted lineup vs Chelsea
Predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Truffert, Hill, Silva, Smith; Adams, Cook; Tavernier, Christie, Rayan; Evanilson.
Head-to-head: Chelsea vs Bournemouth
Chelsea have the clear edge in the all-time record between the two clubs, winning 15 of 25 meetings in all competitions to Bournemouth's five.
The recent Premier League picture is far tighter, though: of the last five league meetings, Chelsea have won two and the other three have all finished as draws, with Bournemouth yet to beat Chelsea in that spell.
The most recent two meetings were both draws, a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium on 6 December 2025 and a 2-2 at Stamford Bridge on 30 December 2025, continuing a pattern of tight scorelines between the sides.
Our Chelsea vs Bournemouth prediction and betting tips
Odds correct as of Wednesday, 8 October 2026 (evening), BST.
- Likely scorers: Danny Welbeck, Marcus Tavernier
- Two of the last five league meetings between these sides have finished 2-2
- Neither side has kept a clean sheet in the Premier League this season
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi is a sports writer with more than 1,000 published articles covering football and major sporting events worldwide. His knowledge spans leagues across the globe, including the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1. Combining research, insight and creativity, he enjoys finding fresh angles and delivering engaging coverage of the game's biggest stories.