Cherries travel to London to face Bees in final clash before international break

The sides are separated by two places and two points in the league, with the Cherries sat in 10th on 15 points and their hosts are 12th with 13 points.

Both sides will be hoping to enter the international break on a positive note, with Bournemouth hoping to upset Brentford’s unbeaten start at home this season.

The Daily Echo previews the clash in London.

Team News

Andoni Iraola’s Cherries will be without Dango Ouattara and Luis Sinisterra, as they continue their recovery from knocks, with both missing the Manchester City clash last weekend.

Iraola said Ouattara is close to a return, but the decision was made to not risk him before the break, while Sinisterra suffered a set back in his recovery so will be out for a more prolonged period.

(Image: PA Images) Kepa Arrizabalaga will be available for selection after recovering from an abductor issue – but Mark Travers has excelled in his absence, so Iraola will be faced with a selection headache in goal.

Alex Scott is still out after surgery on his meniscus.

The hosts will be without Igor Thiago and Gustavo Nunes, as well as Kristoffer Ajer and Rico Henry.

Aaron Hickey and Josh Dasilva are more long-term absentees for the Bees.

Head-to-Head

The two sides have met more than 100 times across their history, with Brentford winning 46 and Bournemouth 39 of their clashes, with 33 draws.

In recent history, the Cherries are yet to beat their hosts since their return to the Premier League in 2022.

(Image: PA) In four games since then, the sides have played out two draws – a 0-0 in October 2022 and a 2-2 in September 2023.

Last season’s trip to the Gtech Community Centre saw an entertaining game, with first half goals from Mathias Jensen and Dominic Solanke leaving the sides level at the break.

The Cherries looked to be heading for all three points after David Brooks’ 77th minute goal, before Bryan Mbeumo snatched the home side a point in injury time.

Brentford have won the other two meetings, beating the Cherries 2-0 at home in January 2023 and 2-1 at Dean Court in May.

In that game in May, another stoppage time goal gave all three points to the Bees, with all three goals coming in the final five minutes of the 90 and in injury time.

(Image: Richard Crease) Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring after 86 minutes, before Dominic Solanke drew the Cherries level ahead of the heartbreaking injury time winner from Yoane Wissa for the visitors.

Last Time Out

The Cherries come into the game with bags of confidence after taking seven points from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester City.

Last weekend, they beat the defending champions City at the Vitality Stadium.

An early goal from Antoine Semenyo was added to by an Evanilson strike shortly after the hour mark, and, despite City adding a late goal through Josko Gvardiol, the Cherries held on for all three points.

(Image: Richard Crease) This was an historic victory for Bournemouth, as it was their first win over their visitors in their history.

Brentford, meanwhile, fell to a very dramatic late defeat on the road at Fulham on Monday night.

After 90 minutes, the Bees were leading through a Vitaly Janelt goal on 24 minutes.

But a Harry Wilson brace in stoppage time gave the hosts all three points at Craven Cottage, his strikes coming in the 90+2 and 90+7 minutes to stun their visitors.

AFC Bournemouth travel to the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, November 9, with a 3pm kick off.