AFC Bournemouth vs Brighton Predictions

• Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last five home matches, winning three in that run
• Brighton are winless in their last six away games, losing four times in that sequence
• Both teams to score has been a winning bet in six of the Cherries’ last eight matches and landed in the reverse fixture

Cherries can continue fine home form

Bournemouth snapped a three-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory at Wolves on Wednesday, putting in a solid defensive display to hold on for three points despite Milos Kerkez’s controverisal 79th-minute red card, and they could build on that against an out-of-sorts Brighton on Sunday.

The Seagulls are winless in five games and while excuses can be made for defeats to the title-challenging trio of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, the same excuses cannot be used to explain draws with 15th-placed Brentford and 19th-placed Burnley – their sole goal in the latter being an own goal via a dreadful error from the Clarets’ goalkeeper, with that strike being their only one of the month, highlighting their issues in attack at current.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have fallen out of European contention entirely and may have to settle for a bottom-half finish – a huge drop off from the heights of last season – with a trip to Bournemouth unlikely to bear fruit. The Cherries are unbeaten in their last five games at the Vitality, winning three in that run and drawing with FA Cup finalists Manchester United in their last home match.

Seagulls set for more travel troubles

A five-match winless run will be a worry for Brighton fans but perhaps even more worrying for the Seagulls faithful is their side’s troubles on the road. De Zerbi’s men have won just one of their last eight away games, with that sole win coming against Premier League basement boys Sheffield United, and some of the results in that run have been woeful.

The streak began with a 4-0 loss at relegation-threatened Luton and has included a 3-0 loss at Fulham as well as a 1-1 draw with second-bottom Burnley, suggesting the Seagulls are set to struggle in Dorset on Sunday.

Brighton have won just two of their last 15 Premier League away games and just 17 of their 44 points have come on the road. It is extremely difficult to see them getting anything from this clash with Andoni Iraola’s talented side.

Semenyo to star in south coast clash

Brighton have actually won their last three clashes with Bournemouth, but those matches came when the Seagulls were in European contention and the Cherries were in relegation fights. With the two sides more closely matched now and home advantage with Iraola’s men, things could play out differently this time.

Bournemouth’s attackers will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a defence which has conceded eight goals in three games, rolling over when gifting Man City four goals on Thursday, with Antoine Semenyo in particular likely to get plenty of chances.

The Ghanaian scored the only goal for the Cherries in midweek and registered two shots on target in the reverse fixture, making him a standout bet to find the net on Sunday.