AFC Bournemouth are straight back in action this weekend, following a south coast derby win against Southampton on Thursday night. They take on a Leeds side who currently sit 16th in the table, just one point above the relegation zone.
While nothing is ever certain in the Premier League, Bournemouth go into the game hoping that they are just one positive result away from all but securing their Premier League status for at least another year.
Leeds meanwhile are facing an uphill battle to remain in the Premier League. No wins in four see Javi Gracia’s side in a spot of bother. Following Bournemouth, Leeds’ remaining fixtures consist of Man City, Newcastle, West Ham and Tottenham. Not an ideal run for a team who have been flirting with relegation for the last couple of years.
A win for Bournemouth could see them move level on points with Chelsea. A scenario I’m sure next to no one envisaged before the season got underway. Many had written Bournemouth off before a ball even kicked, but this is not the scenario that played out whatsoever.
Gary O’Neil spoke to the media, including Nerve Sport, on Friday morning, he reflected on the victory against Southampton and looked ahead to a tough clash against Leeds United.
On the injury front, O’Neil admitted: “Losing Tavernier to a hamstring was really disappointing.” He added how many of the players were still under assessment due to the recency of the Southampton game.
O’Neil also admitted he wasted no time in looking ahead to the next game, he was looking at Leeds’ performances after the game last night in a bid to get a ‘head start’ before Sunday’s clash as “At this moment in time I still feel we can be relegated.”
Bournemouth were again unlucky with a questionable VAR call for a Southampton handball against them. O’Neil confirmed that he will seek clarity on that one, due to several decisions going against Bournemouth throughout the course of the season.
One thing that cannot be questioned about Bournemouth this season is their work ethic. O’Neil admitted Southampton changed shape four times in the first 30 minutes, but his players were prepared for every switch that was thrown at them. This is a direct result of hard work on the training ground, and will surely be rewarding for O’Neil, whose hard work is clearly paying off.
AFC Bournemouth vs Leeds United kicks off at 14:00 on Sunday afternoon, live from the Vitality Stadium.