Newcastle - as expected - are playing with three at the back.

Full-backs Yedlin and Ritchie will be looking to get forward at every opportunity.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Four of the seven Premier League goals Bournemouth have scored against Newcastle have come in the 80th minute or later - while one of the others came in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time.

By contrast, five of Newcastle's six top-flight goals against the Cherries have come before half-time.

We're under way at the Vitality Stadium!

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Today's referee Mike Dean is closing on a milestone of sorts. The Wirral official is one dismissal away from showing 100 red cards in Premier League fixtures.

He's been one away since 2 January - in fact, Dean has been on 99 red cards for 10 weeks, coincidentally the same length of time that Nena's famous 99 Red Balloons song spent in the UK Top 40 (including three weeks at number one) in 1984.

Image source, Press Association

Image source, BBC Sport

Newcastle have taken a lot of pressure off themselves with their great comeback to beat Everton last weekend, because they are now six points clear of the relegation zone.

Bournemouth won too, against Huddersfield, after a run of four defeats and a draw in their previous five games.

Callum Wilson scored for the Cherries after returning from injury, and they are much more dangerous when he is in the team.

Lawro's prediction: 2-0

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium

Long-serving left-back Charlie Daniels, one of the survivors of Bournemouth's League One days, wears the Cherries captain's armband for the first time - becoming the fifth player to do so this season following Simon Francis, Andrew Surman, Steve Cook and Dan Gosling, who are all injured.

With Adam Smith (injured at Huddersfield last week), Lewis Cook and Junior Stanislas also in the treatment room at the moment, boss Eddie Howe - who insists in his programme notes that his side "still have a lot to do to secure another season in the league" - will hope the upcoming international break provides some respite.

Winger Matt Ritchie - a crowd favourite in his Bournemouth days - keeps his place in the Newcastle team, having been deployed at wing-back by Benitez in recent weeks.

Newcastle United

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez: "If we can get three points in this game, I think we can keep pushing with more confidence and without maybe any fear that if you have a couple of bad results everything will be more difficult.

"If we do that, I think we can do much better; if we don't do that, we have to keep fighting like we have done already."

Bournemouth

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: "Newcastle have been on a good run. They've changed systems a few times and have been very hard to beat. I expect a tough game.

"We want to find that consistency. I've sensed a desire and attitude within the group to end the season on a high. This is a big game for us."

Tony Husband
Match of the Day commentator

Image source, Getty Images

Victories for both sides last week mean the chances of relegation are almost non-existent for Bournemouth and slim for Newcastle.

Neither faces the most daunting of run-ins either so, privately at least, Eddie Howe and Rafa Benitez will have plenty of other goals on top of ensuring survival.

For Bournemouth, topping their 46-point haul in 2017 should be an aim. Ten points from their last eight games is a good bar to set.

Newcastle have rolled back the years at St James' Park in recent weeks but they have only won twice on the road. They need to harness the attacking flair which Almiron, Perez and Rondon have cultivated so well at home to improve their woeful goal tally away.

Achieve those aims and both managers will be pretty happy by May.

Image source, Getty Images

Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser have combined for nine Premier League goals this season.

The last pair to do so 10 times in a single top-flight campaign were Arsenal's Nicolas Anelka and Dennis Bergkamp 20 years ago.

Image source, Getty Images

Salomon Rondon announced himself to the Newcastle faithful with a brace in Newcastle's 2-1 victory over Bournemouth in November.

That was the only home win in five Premier League meetings between the two teams.

Image source, BBC Sport

Eddie Howe makes two changes to the Bournemouth side that beat Huddersfield 2-0 at the John Smith’s Stadium last weekend.

Nathaniel Clyne replaces the injured Adam Smith, while Jordon Ibe comes in for Andrew Surman in midfield.

Bournemouth XI: Boruc, Clyne, Mepham, Ake, Daniels, Brooks, Lerma, Ibe, Fraser, Wilson, King

Subs: Begovic, Mousset, Rico, Simpson, Taylor, Solanke, Surridge

Image source, BBC Sport

Rafa Benitez makes three changes to the Newcastle team that came from behind to beat Everton.

Jamaal Lascelles is injured and Fabian Schar misses out through suspension, so in come Paul Dummett and Federico Fernandez.

Mohamed Diame makes his first league start since January, replacing Ki Sung-yueng.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Yedlin, Dummett, Fernandez, Lejeune, Ritchie, Perez, Hayden, Diame, Almiron, Rondon

Subs: Darlow, Clark, Shelvey, Muto, Kenedy, Manquillo, Atsu

Bournemouth's tally of 25 points at home is the most this season among clubs outside the top six.

Image source, Getty Images

However, only Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United have collected more points from their last eight games than Newcastle.

Image source, Getty Images

Both teams can take a huge step towards safety with a win this afternoon. Who will come out on top? Stay tuned to find out.