Chelsea will look to return to winning ways when they host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, 10 October. Xabi Alonso’s side are seeking a response to their 3-0 defeat by Brentford, while Marco Rose’s visitors hope to turn their performances into much-needed Premier League points.
Chelsea have scored 10 goals and conceded 12 in their opening five league matches, leaving them 10th in the table. Bournemouth sit 17th after taking three points from their first five games, with both teams looking to build momentum after the international break.
Alonso has received a boost ahead of the match, with Reece James, Cole Palmer, João Pedro, Moisés Caicedo and Marco Palestra available after returning to training. Their availability gives Chelsea more options as they look to improve their recent performances. However, Jamie Gittens will miss the fixture after suffering an ankle injury while on England Under-21 duty and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
The Chelsea head coach expects a demanding contest against Bournemouth and knows his team must make the most of their opportunity at home. His players’ improved fitness will be welcome, but they will need to deliver a stronger performance against opponents who have proved difficult to beat on their travels.
Bournemouth have lost only one of their last 11 Premier League away matches in 2026, despite struggling for victories overall. Rose has used the international break to examine why his side have failed to collect more points despite some encouraging performances.
“We analysed the first seven games. We saw we have some really good stats but still only have three points in the Premier League,” Rose said. “There must be a reason and we analysed the things. We showed the lads some positive stuff and some stuff to work on. Now we have to bring it on the pitch.”
Rose believes Bournemouth’s main problem has been their inability to manage decisive moments rather than a failure to adapt to his playing style. His team have dropped nine points from winning positions this season, highlighting an area they must improve if they are to climb the table.
“We already see our style. A lot of things are in a good direction – we just need to get points out of the games,” he said. “We can talk about the match momentum we gave away in some games. We scored goals and defended well so it’s not about the style or time to adapt.”
Despite Bournemouth’s seven-game winless run in the league, Rose remains confident his players can challenge Chelsea. “If you win a game you can get in a run and get more confidence, but we still have enough confidence to go to Chelsea and try to win the game,” he said.
However, Bournemouth will be without midfielder Alex Scott for four to five weeks after he sustained an injury while on England duty. Rose described the absence as “a big loss”, while David Brooks has returned to full team training.
Chelsea can draw confidence from their recent record against Bournemouth, having gone unbeaten in their last nine Premier League meetings, with four wins and five draws. The last three encounters have all finished level, including a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in December 2025.
With both sides eager to address their recent struggles, the match presents an important opportunity to regain momentum. Alonso will hope Chelsea’s returning players can help improve their consistency, while Rose will want Bournemouth to manage key moments better and finally turn promising performances into a league victory.
