Bournemouth v West Brom preview: Adam Smith out with groin problem
Saturday 7 May 2016 15:12, UK
Bournemouth have not beaten a team both home and away this season but they can achieve this by defeating West Brom at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
Having won 2-1 at the Hawthorns in December, Eddie Howe's side go into their final home game of the season already knowing they will be playing Premier League football next season.
The Cherries lost 2-1 at Everton last weekend but Norwich's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates secured their top-flight status for another season.
Albion are already safe and sit in 14th position with boss Tony Pulis hinting he is ready to extend his deal at the Hawthorns.
Team news
Howe will be without Adam Smith for the remaining two games due to a groin problem.
Max Gradel is in contention having rejoined training following a hip/thigh injury which has kept him out of the side since April 20.
Pulis could make changes for the Baggies' final two games of the season.
Teenage forward Jonathan Leko is set to start again after impressing on his full debut despite Albion's 3-0 defeat to West Ham last week.
Fellow youngsters Tyler Roberts and Sam Field are also expected to be in the squad but Chris Brunt (knee) and James Morrison (hamstring) will not feature for Albion.
Opta stats
Bournemouth and West Brom have played each other 11 times in the league, winning four times each. West Brom won 1-0 on their last league visit to Bournemouth, in the third tier in January 1993. It is their only win away to the Cherries (D1 L3).
The Cherries have lost their last three Premier League matches on home soil, conceding 10 goals along the way.
The Baggies have won just one of their last 13 Premier League road trips (W1 D6 L6).
Bournemouth have now lost three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since November (four in a row).
Only neighbours Aston Villa (11) are waiting longer for a win in the Premier League than Pulis' side, who are winless in seven (D2 L5).
No Premier League side has scored more goals in the opening 15 minutes this season than Bournemouth (9, level with Manchester City).
The Baggies' next goal will be their 400th in the Premier League.
A league-high 10 of the Cherries goals this season have come courtesy of defenders.
Merson's prediction
West Brom have done the job by staying up. There could be three huge football clubs going down this year, and West Brom are staying up, that just tells you everything about the job Pulis has done there.
Fans might want more as the years go by with Pulis, but Charlton wanted a bit more when Alan Curbishley kept them up every year, where are they now? Be careful what you wish for.
Howe is up there among the managers of the year. Bournemouth have done a good job, but next season they might not be riding on that wave after promotion.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 7/1)
Betting
Bournemouth are odds-on at 10/11 with Sky Bet to claim maximum points against West Brom (14/5) with the draw trading at 5/2. The Cherries have scored exactly one goal in each of their last four games and Sky Bet have given odds of 15/8 for them to do this again. Charlie Nicholas is backing Callum Wilson to score first, which Sky Bet have enhanced from 13/2 to 15/2 in their Price Boost. See all the latest odds and pundit tips here.
