Bournemouth

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Having been forced to revamp their squad over the summer, Bournemouth have been able to enjoy some continuity of selection for the first month of the Premier League season, with nine of the 11 starting positions remaining unchanged for the first five games, and the other two only disrupted by injuries.

Captain Adam Smith's injury in game three at Tottenham meant James Hill initially filled the right-back berth, before new signing Alex Jimenez stepped in for the last two games.

Meanwhile, the only other early change came when Bafode Diakite missed the Brighton game with injury. Veljko Milosavljevic stepped in for that match, but despite a sparkling debut from the Serbian teenager, Diakite reclaimed his place the following week.

Boss Andoni Iraola's first unenforced changes to his starting XI came on Saturday at Leeds as Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert, who had both missed pre-season with injury, and summer signing Amine Adli were preferred to Alex Scott, Marcus Tavernier and David Brooks.

However, Iraola noticeably replaced Christie, Kluivert and Adli with Scott, Tavernier and Brooks in a triple substitution on the hour mark, with the Cherries trailing 2-1.

While Christie and Kluivert were automatic choices last season, their lack of pre-season minutes has left Iraola carefully managing their reintegration into the team, though that has been helped by the early form of Scott, who is enjoying one of his best spells since leaving Bristol City two years ago.

When you consider Bournemouth's high-energy style, injuries and suspensions are likely something they will have to deal with as the season progresses. But for now, there is competition for places, and a strong bench which has helped the Cherries ride an early wave.

Fulham are their next opponents, with Bournemouth looking to extend a sequence of three home wins over the Cottagers since they were both promoted back to the top flight in 2022, while a Friday evening game in front of the Sky TV cameras will evoke fan memories of a 2015 encounter, when the Londoners were thumped 5-1 with Brett Pitman and Steve Cook staging their own "goal of the season" contest on the same night.

Tom Jordan
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth remain unbeaten since their opening day defeat by reigning champions Liverpool, following a hard-fought draw with Leeds United at Elland Road.

A lot has been made of the Cherries' defensive solidity considering such an upheaval of their backline, but it was an attacking addition who stole the show at the weekend.

Eli Junior Kroupi was signed to provide cover and competition for main man Evanilson in Bournemouth's attack, and it was his last-gasp finish that earned Andoni Iraola's men a vital point on the road.

Kroupi scored an impressive 13 goals in as many games for Lorient last season, which helped the club on their way to promotion back to the top flight in France.

Going from the French second tier to the Premier League was always going to be a tough ask and, as expected, Kroupi has been used only as an impact sub thus far.

His introduction at the weekend was when the Cherries went for a 'throw the kitchen sink at it' approach, but his composure to rifle home in stoppage time could be a valuable weapon moving forward.

A consistent goalscorer will know where the net is at any level and Kroupi proved that with the way he positioned himself and comfortably swept home when needed - a big moment for him.

Will Kroupi get more minutes off the back of his impact on Saturday? Maybe. But one thing is for sure, Bournemouth have unearthed another cog in Iraola's well-oiled machine.

Find more from Tom Jordan at Back of the Net, external

Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo is continuing to attract interest despite signing a new contract in the summer, with Tottenham, Manchester United, Manchester City and Aston Villa all keen on the forward. (TBRFootball), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Leeds and Bournemouth.

Here are some of your comments:

Leeds fans

Alison: I thought we played really well and with confidence. We need to be a little more clinical with our chances on goal. Gutted that the equaliser came in in the last minutes of the game. Think we can build on this and do even better.

Eric: Good overall performance but once again we are undone in final minutes of the game. Could have been 3-0 up in first 20 minutes but again, lack of clinical finishing means we need to find a quality striker who will put those kind of chances away. Couldn't understand why Farke replaces Calvert-Lewin with Nmecha when it was obvious we needed fresh legs to bolster the defence. We managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory and that was three vital points dropped not one point gained.

Omar: The fact that this feels like two points lost rather than a point gained is testament to how well Leeds have performed. Well done lads. Great performance against a very, very good Bournemouth side.

Andrew: Leeds were the better team. We were not hanging on. The timing of the equaliser was disappointing as it was so late but a lot of positives. If DCL stays fit Leeds will stay up.

Bournemouth fans

Matt: An important point against a good, physical Leeds team. Resilience will be important as the season goes on - good signs for hopefully a successful season ahead.

TFTSE: Poor performance, lacked cohesion and simply couldn't retain the ball. But, once again managed to sneak in a late goal to grab a point. Can't complain, not playing well and still in the top six. When it clicks we will be even better.

Michael: Lucky to get a point but in previous seasons we would have lost.

Pat: To come back like that was brilliant!

Adam Cottier
Final Score reporter at Elland Road

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth could count themselves fortunate, but then they also could point to smart substitutions and sheer perseverance as to reasons why they emerged from Elland Road with a point.

They had Djordje Petrovic to thank for making some fine saves and he looks right at home after his summer move, but Bournemouth just do not look like a team that will lose many games this season.

Andoni Iraola knew his side were finding Leeds a real problem and made changes to freshen his attack.

He looks to have more options and greater depth now, and Eli Kroupi's stylish volley indicated Bournemouth may have found another gem in their treasure trove of good recent recruitment as well.

Pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday’s Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool

• Nottingham Forest 0-1 Sunderland

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola spoke to the media after his side's draw with Leeds United: "It's a good feeling when you score in stoppage time. It was a physical game because they have [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin and [Sean] Longstaff, players that can punish us in every set piece. All of their goals came from set-plays.

"It was a game with big fights, it was quite physical and not too clean. There weren't many clear chances."

On 19-year-old goalscorer Eli Kroupi: "He is a very good finisher. He has to adapt because he is coming from Ligue 2 and it is a big jump. He is very good with both feet."

On what the Cherries can improve: "For me, I would say the physicality, the aerial balls, the physical balls. They were winning the first contacts every time with [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin. They also had players who were good in the second balls.

"We aren't the tallest team, but we have to improve aerial duels and our defending of set-plays."

Did you know?

• Bournemouth have won just two of their past nine Premier League away games (D4 L3), having won five of their seven games on the road beforehand (D2).

• Antoine Semenyo has been directly involved in 11 goals in his last 13 Premier League appearances for Bournemouth, scoring eight and assisting a further three goals.

Hear from Ryan Christie and more from Iraola on BBC Sounds

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Leeds' performance

What did you make of Bournemouth's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has named an unchanged team from the side that beat Wolves 3-1 last weekend.

There is just one change in the entire squad with Dan James returning from injury to replace Harry Gray on the bench.

Leeds United XI: Darlow, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Rodon, Struijk, Ampadu, Longstaff, Stach, Aaronson, Okafor, Calvert-Lewin

Substitutes: Meslier, Justin, Bijol, Gruev, Tanaka, Harrison, James, Nmecha, Piroe

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola makes three changes from the side that played out a goalless draw with Newcastle United last week.

Ryan Christie, Justin Kluivert and Amine Adli all come in to the 11 in place of David Brooks, Marcus Tavernier and Alex Scott who drop to the bench.

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Truffert, Senesi, Evanilson, Christie, Adams, Diakite, Kluivert, Jimenez, Adli, Semenyo

Substitutes: Dennis, Scott, Kroupi Jr, Soler, Gannon-Doak, Hill, Brooks, Tavernier, Milosavljevic

There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Brentford v Manchester United (12:30)

• Chelsea v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Crystal Palace v Liverpool - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Leeds United v Bournemouth

• Manchester City v Burnley

• Nottingham Forest v Sunderland (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Tottenham v Wolves (20:00)

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Crystal Palace v Liverpool" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Nottingham Forest v Sunderland", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

I've been told I absolutely cannot go for 10 draws this week, which is shame because this game has got draw written all over it.

Being serious, I was very impressed by Leeds' win over Wolves last time out - it really surprised me, but it was a brilliant result that showed what they have got to offer under Daniel Farke, and that they are going to give it a real go this season.

Even so, I am backing Bournemouth here. The Cherries were a bit flat against Newcastle last week but they usually create loads of chances and that's what I am expecting them to do at Elland Road.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Leeds United, who have yet to concede a goal at home this season, take on a Bournemouth side vying for back-to-back clean sheets. BBC Sport takes a look at some of the key themes before Saturday's match.

Leeds were buoyed by last weekend's 3-1 win at Wolves, with a second victory of the season giving them plenty of momentum heading into a potentially important stretch of autumn fixtures. This is the first of three home games in their next four, with Tottenham and West Ham also visiting Elland Road.

Daniel Farke's side have not lost at home in the league for 12 months, a run of 22 matches, and have an opportunity to put some more daylight between themselves and the relegation zone. They already have seven points on the board, which equals the combined total of last season's promoted sides after five games.

Summer signings Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor were on target in the win at Molineux, when Leeds took their opportunities clinically, attempting just six shots but scoring with three. Chances have been at a premium for the Whites this term, with their overall expected goals total of 4.29 the third lowest in the Premier League.

Bournemouth's new-look defence excelling

Leeds may also need to be ruthless with their finishing when they take on in-form Bournemouth, who have only conceded once in their past four league matches.

The Cherries' defensive resilience is all the more impressive given they lost three of their first-choice back four over the summer, with defenders Dean Huijsen, Ilya Zabarnyi and Milos Kerkez sold for a combined total of £144.5m.

It is testament to the work of head coach Andoni Iraola that Bournemouth have nonetheless started strongly and conceded just five goals, which is their lowest total at this stage of a Premier League season.

And despite struggling to break down Newcastle in Sunday's goalless draw at Vitality Stadium, Iraola's team have claimed 10 points from their opening five fixtures, equalling their best start to a top-flight campaign.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Leeds United at Elland Road (kick-off 15:00).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• When asked about team news Iraola said: "Enes [Ünal] and Adam Smith are out, then we have the situation with Lewis Cook. He is still in some pain in the shoulder."

• Whether Cook will play tomorrow is yet to be decided: "He is training with us but we have to take a decision. We will have to see how he trains and see if he can travel with us, or if it's better we leave it until next week. It's a decision we have to take today after training."

• On facing newly-promoted Leeds: "I think we have a very difficult game tomorrow, I trust our chances because I see my team are playing very well. We cannot make mistakes. It's going to be demanding mentally and physically because they are a very honest team. Their work rate is is very high. They've been defensively very solid, which is unusual for teams that get promoted."

• When asked about his process with kick-offs he said: "We always prepare something that's different. We still haven't scored a goal, so it's not working very well, but we use it at least to create some momentum."

• On Bournemouth's run at the start of the season: "Defensively we are being solid and we always have this offensive threat, but it's one thing to be offensive and be proactive but you have to be very good at the back because if you want to take risks your defenders will get exposed and I think we are getting this balance quite right."

• When asked if he thinks Bournemouth should be scoring more goals at the moment: "We should have scored more goals, but I always say I want my number nine to miss chances. If you have the chances, if you have the offensive volume, it's a matter of time because I trust the quality of the forwards we have and that's our aim."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Football fans are sometimes accused of living in the past, particularly when the present is less than palatable. What about those league titles, that cup run, those legendary players of yesteryear?

But there are times in life when you cannot see where you are going, without the perspective of where you have been. That even applies to a team like Bournemouth when - by most metrics - the club is riding the crest of a wave in the most successful period in its history.

Older supporters may reference the bucket collections and the on-field "Great Escapes" from the days when the club was living from hand to mouth. Now they are into their ninth season as a top-flight club, with a new training ground and plans in place to expand Vitality Stadium from next summer, there is precious little to gripe about.

So if fans were tempted to moan after drawing a blank in Saturday's goalless draw with Newcastle United, it may be time for another reminder of perspective.

Eddie Howe was lauded, while managing Bournemouth, for "having a go" when they came up against the big clubs - opponents against which Howe's Cherries were given no chance whatsoever, yet occasionally upset the status quo.

It was rare indeed for Howe to set up ultra-defensively with damage limitation the name of the game. A five-man defence was occasionally adopted against Manchester City, usually to no avail.

Yet Howe arrived at his old club on Saturday with a five-man defence, leaving the Cherries seemingly in the land of the giants against towering centre-back triumvirate Dan Burn, Sven Botman and Malik Thiaw.

With the two teams mustering only three shots on target between them in the entire game, Newcastle left far happier with their point than Bournemouth.

It may not have been pretty, but it can be seen as a measure of progress for the hosts.

Opta's statisticians, external ranked Bournemouth's opening five fixtures as the second hardest in the Premier League but, despite selling three key defenders, they sit fourth in the early table.

So with a little perspective from the past, the Cherries' present and future looks even brighter.

Sam Davis
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It was another clean sheet for Bournemouth at the weekend, this time locking out a Newcastle side that has already put goals past giants Liverpool and Barcelona this season.

That makes it three clean sheets in the opening five games for the Cherries, having played three opponents who play in the Champions League - very impressive stuff.

So why have Andoni Iraola's men been such a tough nut to crack? After all, the club lost four of their main back five in the summer, and the one that remains in Adam Smith is currently out injured.

Under Iraola, Bournemouth play on the offensive and defend from the front.

The relentless pressing is evident in every game, but the defensive solidity has been a pleasant surprise.

Djordje Petrovic is the new man between the sticks and he has been a breath of fresh air, commanding his box and looking like a top keeper already.

Both Bafode Diakite and Veljko Milosavljevic look like really good additions in the centre-back positions, and Adrien Truffert at left-back has been excellent.

Similarly, centre-back Marcos Senesi deserves a lot of credit too. He has been at the club since the summer of 2022 and has seen plenty of his defensive partners depart, but he has remained pivotal and showed real leadership qualities.

Also, props to Tyler Adams who sits in front of the defence as a deep-lying midfielder and anchors them excellently - a true unsung hero of the side.

Will Andoni's Bournemouth continue to play on the front foot? Yes. Will they concede goals? Absolutely. But the continued progression of the side is clear for all to see, and adding some defensive nous will only help the side going forward.

Find more from Sam Davis at Back of the Net, external

Image source, Getty Images

Guinness World Records have posted a tribute, external to Justin Kluivert after he recently received his official certificate.

The Bournemouth midfielder earned the award for the most penalties scored by a football player in an English Premier League match, and was given the frame before the 2-1 win over Brighton a week last Saturday.

Kluivert's hat-trick of spotkicks came in the Cherries' win over Wolves on Saturday, 30 November 2024, in a 4-2 win at Molineux.

Until then, there had been 69 instances of a player scoring twice from the spot in a single Premier League match, but never three times.

The 26-year-old was the fifth player to have taken three penalties in a Premier League match but is the first to successfully convert all three.