It's so odd to think that AFC Bournemouth and Chelsea are only separated by three points in the middle of the Premier League table with just four weeks left to play. The Cherries will have more to play for here knowing that they'd love to prove they can stick with the big boys, but in actuality, with both teams safe for next season and neither one capable of reaching the European spots, this is all about pride.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Bournemouth +201
Chelsea +136
Draw +244
Over/Under 2.5 (over -117)
ODDS ANALYSIS
Another sign that this has been an incredibly odd season in the EPL is the fact that Chelsea, in its 34th match of the season, is only +136 on the moneyline on the road against a team which has never been in the Premier League before. Bournemouth hasn't had a particularly amazing season, though just staying up is a huge accomplishment for a new club.
The total is set at essentially just a flat 2.5, though the over is the slight favorite at -117 vig.
KEY INJURIES
Bournemouth has some major injury concerns right now. Benik Afobe, Harry Arter, Tyrone Mings and Adam Smith are all out of the fold for the time being, and for a team which isn't all that deep in the first place.
Chelsea won't have its goalie, Thibaut Courtois in this one thanks to the red card he picked up against Manchester City. He won't be back in the fold until May 7. Eden Hazard, Loic Remy, John Terry and Kurt Zouma are all going to miss this one as well at Dean Court.
LIVE BETTING
Things really haven't been going well for Chelsea of late. Guus Hiddink has done all that he can, but the poison left from the Jose Mourinho disaster from the first half of the season was unable to be repaired. The Blues have now lost consecutive matches to Swansea City and Manchester City, the most recent of which was an incredibly embarrassing performance at home in which they never really had a chance.
The Cherries have some big wins this year, but they weren't able to get one against Liverpool last weekend. They were beaten 2-1, but for our money, they were the better team in the second 45 minutes after a poor first half in which they were down 2-0. They've had some bad results of late, notably a 4-0 loss at home to Manchester City and a 3-0 loss at White Hart Lane to Tottenham.
QUICK PICK
Let's also not forget that Bournemouth made some history with its win on the road at Stamford Bridge earlier this year. The 1-0 result wasn't a thing of beauty, but no one is going to be complaining with what really felt like three incredibly vital points at the time.
Bournemouth has played like a team with its hair on fire of late. The team flies up and down the pitch and has put six straight matches past the total.
The Cherries have nothing else lose and a ton of momentum to gain, and we wouldn't be surprised if this marked the first game in which Lewis Grabban finds the back of the net as a starter instead of in a bench role. This could be another big upset in the middle of the table on Saturday.
English Premier League Odds: Bournemouth 2, Chelsea 1
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