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After a stumble against Crystal Palace, Chelsea will face another tough test in an away match against Bournemouth. It’s hard to say how good the Blues are under Enzo Maresca at the start of the Premeir Leauge season. They were reliant on the form of Cole Palmer, who could miss the match after withdrawing from the England squad ahead of the international break. Meanwhile, the break came at a bad time for the Cherries, who scored three goals after the 86th minute to overturn a two-goal deficit against Everton for their first win of the season. To take a step forward and become real contenders for Europe, they will want to beat Chelsea in their home stadium.
Here are our storylines, how to watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Saturday September 14 | Time: 3:00 PM ET
- Location: Vitality Stadium – Bournemouth, England
- Live stream: Peacock
- Chances: Bournemouth +240; Sign +250; Chelsea+100
Storylines
Bournemouth: Andoni Iraola have started the season well as they are unbeaten in three games. While Bournemouth could do with more goals, the fact that it was a team effort for the five goals scored will be a positive benchmark for the weekend. Chelsea will focus on Antoine Semenyo, who has two goals and one assist so far, but the international break will have given Iraola time to work with Evanilson, who is still looking for his first Premier League goal since he joined the club.
Chelsea: With inconsistent performances this season, it is difficult to say who the real Chelsea are. They have been better in attack than in recent years and Nicolas Jackson seems to be finding his way, but for Maresca it is crucial to get the same performance out of his players every time. The inclusion of Jadon Sancho is something that could help, but with European football on the horizon it is important to know what Chelsea’s bloated squad will produce in the future.
Prediction
The Blues will once again find it difficult to drop points against Bournemouth in a thrilling draw. Choose: Bournemouth 1, Chelsea 1