Two teams sitting at either end of the table meet this Thursday night as the table-topping Bournemouth play hosts to the relegation-fighting Cardiff City in the Championship with both sides in topsy-turvy form right now.
Bournemouth, despite sitting top of the table, currently boast just two wins since the start of November, losing four, drawing three and claiming three points in the other two. It does still put them ahead of title-chasing Fulham and Blackburn Rovers, but it has been a tough two months for Scott Parker.
You guessed it 😅Our @HendyGroup 𝕄𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙: pic.twitter.com/s3T7IjBnFe— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) December 28, 2021
You guessed it 😅Our @HendyGroup 𝕄𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙: pic.twitter.com/s3T7IjBnFe
Nevertheless, the ex-Fulham boss has been saved by the lack of form from his old side which has enabled the Cherries to move to the top of the table despite their rough patch.
Now, after beating Queens Park Rangers 1-0, the club are a point ahead of the Cottagers but they have a game in hand, which if they win, will push them to the top once more.
This win over QPR was Bournemouth’s first in December and it subsequently broke a run of six games without a victory for them too.
That game also saw Dominic Solanke score once more, as the Englishman has now made it 17 goals in the Championship, meaning only Ben Brereton and Aleksandar Mitrovic have more than him.
Such goals from Solanke have kept his side as one of the highest scorers in the league this season, with only Fulham and Blackburn netting more than them, while Fulham and West Bromwich Albion are the only two clubs who have managed to concede fewer goals in the second tier too.
As for Cardiff, it’s been a long 2021 for them that has seen them change managers twice after the sacking of Neil Harris and Mick McCarthy, with Steve Morison now taking charge of the games after moving up from his role with the U23s.
Unfortunately, the trend has continued for them as they have won three, lost three, and drawn two under his leadership and consequently sit just three games above the relegation zone, but with a game in hand.
By this point, the club have also not played for three weeks due to postponements, and as we’ve seen elsewhere in England, this will either work greatly in their favour or be a bit of a disaster.
However, with Bournemouth back to winning ways, it’s perhaps the worst team in the league to return to action against.
Forebet predicts a win for the Cherries here as they aim to stay top of the table and heap further misery on the Welsh side. Forebet also expects the game to see over 2.5 goals.