MY ACCOUNT
– Both teams have scored in four of Bournemouth’s last five home league games
– Both teams have scored in Brighton’s last seven away league matches
– Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score
Bournemouth host Brighton in a South Coast derby on Tuesday looking to make it back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time this season.
The Cherries climbed to their highest league position since early January when they beat Fulham 2-1 over the weekend and that came just a few weeks after victory was achieved over Liverpool at the Vitality Stadium.
A stoppage-time spot-kick from Alexis Mac Allister enabled the Seagulls to pinch a point against Brentford on Saturday as Brighton came from behind to level on three separate occasions.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side remain firmly in the hunt for European football next term and can close the gap on the top four with a win in Dorset.
Team news
Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil has selected the same starting line-up for the last three games and could name an unchanged side again on Tuesday.
But Marcus Tavernier returned to the squad on Saturday after missing the Cherries’ previous four games with a hamstring problem and scored their equaliser, giving O’Neil food for thought if he is fit enough to start again.
Illia Zabarnyi made the matchday squad for the first time since he signed in January and joined David Brooks, who made his first league appearance in 18 months in the previous game against Aston Villa, on the bench,
For Brighton, Evan Ferguson looks likely to miss out again after he sat out Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Brentford with an unspecified injury.
De Zerbi cast doubt on the Irishman’s involvement this week when he spoke on Saturday, although he did declare that defender Adam Webster would play on Tuesday.
Danny Welbeck looks set to start up front and there could be a change to the back four if Pervis Estupinan needs a rest after a long trip back from international duty with Ecuador.
Midfielders Adam Lallana and Jakub Moder are not expected back from injury for several weeks and are joined on the sidelines by Jeremy Sarmiento, who fractured a metatarsal on international duty.
The stats
Bournemouth have conceded 55 goals in the Premier League, more than any other team this season, although only 17 of those have come at home.
The Cherries have conceded 15 goals from corners in this season’s Premier League, nearly twice as many as the next worst team at defending corners, Chelsea (eight).
Only Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle and Liverpool have won more corners than Brighton (166) this season, but Albion have scored only three goals from set pieces this term.
However, the Seagulls have now scored two or more goals in 10 of their last 15 games in the Premier League.
Prediction
Brighton will wonder how they did not take all three points from Saturday’s game against Brentford after out-shooting the Bees by 22 attempts to six and producing an xG of 4.5 on the day.
But defending has been their Achilles heel this season and clean sheets on the road have been as rare as hen’s teeth, which should encourage the Cherries to come at them on Tuesday.
O’Neil’s side will not lack confidence anyway after back-to-back home wins and, although it will be tough for them to make it three in a row, they could certainly get at Brighton down the sides through the dangerous duo of Tavernier and Dango Ouattara.
Only Arsenal have scored more away goals than the Seagulls this term, but they have conceded 12 times in their last seven road trips too.
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