Bournemouth could again be without defender Adam Smith for their Premier League match against Burnley on Saturday.

Smith continues to be assessed with a thigh strain and has not featured since March 9 for the Cherries, who have won just one of their last eight matches.

Winger Junior Stanislas and midfielder Dan Gosling should both be available having returned for the defeat at Leicester last weekend.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Defender Steve Cook (groin) remains out, along with long-term absentees Andrew Surman (calf) Simon Francis and Lewis Cook (both knee).

Peter Crouch will miss out for Burnley, who are five points above the relegation zone with six games left to play.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The striker began feeling unwell prior to the Clarets' victory over Wolves last weekend and underwent appendix surgery. He will be assessed by a specialist before returning to action.

Winger Aaron Lennon has begun working on the grass with the physio and could still make his comeback from a knee injury before the end of the campaign, but midfielder Steven Defour (calf) is expected to be sidelined until next season.

Opta facts

• Bournemouth have won just two of their last 10 league meetings with Burnley (D3 L5), though these victories have come in their last four matches against them.
• Having won the reverse fixture 4-0 back in September, Burnley are looking to complete their first league double over Bournemouth since the 1999-00 season in the third tier.
• Bournemouth are winless in their last three Premier League home games, last going four without a win at the Vitality Stadium in December 2017.
• Bournemouth have picked up just five points from their last eight Premier League games (W1 D2 L5), with a 2-0 victory at Huddersfield their only win in that run.
• Bournemouth have only lost one of their last 18 Premier League home games against sides starting the day below them in the table (W11 D6), with that defeat coming against Manchester United in November.
• Burnley kept a clean sheet in their last league game against Wolves (2-0). They've not recorded back-to-back shutouts in the Premier League since December 2017 (a run of three).
• Burnley's Dwight McNeil has scored in each of his last two Premier League appearances. The last teenager to score in three Premier League games in a row was Romelu Lukaku in March 2013.
• Coming into this round of matches, Bournemouth's Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson have each both scored and assisted in four different Premier League games this season - no other player has done so in more (also Troy Deeney and Mo Salah on four).

Merson's prediction

I am doing this game for Soccer Saturday.

I watched Burnley last week against Wolves and that was the real Burnley. If you are Watford you will watch that video intensely ahead of their FA Cup semi-final because Burnley got into Wolves, made them get their heads down and pass the ball quickly and didn't give them time on the ball. If you give Wolves time on the ball they will rip through you and Burnley didn't let them do that.

I think Burnley were back to Burnley, and you think how are they where they are? It's because they stopped doing what Burnley do best, which is make it very difficult for other teams.

Bournemouth against Leicester last week were quite even in the first half but were then blown away in the second half. You don't know what you are going to get with Bournemouth.

I'm just going to go with Bournemouth because of home advantage.

MERSE PREDICTS: 2-1

Complete football offer

See The Run In on Sky Sports with 2 football channels for the price of 1