(Football news) After their respective FA Cup victories—the Reds defeated Arsenal 2-0 in the third round and the Cherries pulled off an incredible comeback to defeat Queens Park Rangers 3-2—both teams have been resting for the past two weeks.
Under Andoni Iraola, Bournemouth turned up the heat to leave their old relegation opponents in their wake as the temperatures dropped in preparation for the holiday season. They took 19 of the 21 available points during a fantastic seven-game stretch before being frustrated on Tottenham Hotspur’s field.
That 3-1 loss to the Lilywhites on New Year’s Eve also snapped the Cherries streak of scoring at least twice in seven successive matches – an exceptional return helped in no small part by the exploits of erstwhile Liverpool man Dominic Solanke – but Bournemouth found their best shooting boots again at Loftus Road on January 6.
The QPR faithful were in dreamland as they departed for half-time refreshments, having witnessed Sinclair Armstrong and Lyndon Dykes strike in the dying embers of the first period, but Iraola’s team talk worked wonders as Marcus Tavernier, Kieffer Moore and Justin Kluivert completed a terrific turnaround.
Before a fourth-round clash with Swansea City takes precedence later this month, Bournemouth bid to avoid back-to-back Premier League losses for the first time since October and welcome the Reds to the Vitality in 12th place in the standings, three points below Wolverhampton Wanderers with a game in hand.
As inspiring as their recent renaissance has been, Bournemouth are traditionally one of the kindest teams for league leaders to face; the Cherries have been beaten in all nine of their Premier League games against teams starting the day at the top of the table, netting a mere six goals in that dismal sequence.
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