Rejuvenated Bournemouth have gained 5 of their previous seven league video games in opposition to top-three sides however they’re winless in six matches in opposition to Saturday’s high-flying guests Aston Villa (15:00 GMT).
Villa gained the reverse fixture 4-0 and are vying to finish their first league double over Bournemouth. Nonetheless, the Villans are experiencing a home dip in kind, taking simply seven factors from six matches.
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Kroupi changing into cornerstone of rebuilt Bournemouth
It has been a curious season to this point for Bournemouth. They had been second within the desk after 9 matches however then went 11 and not using a win earlier than recovering to earn 10 factors from their previous 4 league fixtures.
Their latest upturn has come regardless of the £62.5m sale of Antoine Semenyo to who turned the sixth key departure from the facet which ended final season with a membership file Premier League factors complete.
Amid the staff rebuild, one participant who has come to the fore is Junior Kroupi. Plucked from Lorient within the French second division, the place he stayed on mortgage till final summer time, the 19-year-old ahead has steadily made himself indispensable.
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Kroupi has been nominated for the Premier League’s Participant of the Month award for January, throughout which he scored three targets in 5 video games – together with a 20-yard strike in opposition to and excellent half-volley to place Bournemouth forward at final weekend.
The £10m signing has made 4 Premier League begins in a row for the primary time, taking part in as a assist striker behind Evanilson, and his eight targets this season are the second most by an adolescent in Europe’s prime 5 leagues behind Lamine Yamal of Barcelona.
Kroupi additionally has the most effective minutes-per-goal ratio of anybody to attain greater than as soon as within the Premier League this time period, in addition to the most effective shot conversion charge – discovering the web with 38% of his makes an attempt on purpose.
[BBC]
Misfiring Villa in want of an attacking spark
A run of three defeats in six league video games, coupled with long-term accidents to a few key midfielders, has maybe recalibrated Aston Villa’s credentials. Although being third within the desk is definitely no fluke – Villa have persistently proven top-four kind since Unai Emery’s arrival in late 2022 – they’re unable to match the star high quality and squad depth of the groups round them.
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They had been wonderful only a fortnight in the past in beating at St James’ Park, however have now misplaced back-to-back residence league video games, latterly in opposition to 10-man
The for Tammy Abraham, again on the membership for a second spell, final Sunday means Aston Villa have failed to attain in three of their previous 4 top-flight matches. Neither did they notably hassle the opposition defence in any of these three video games.
Emery predominantly introduced in attacking gamers through the January switch window, together with recalling winger Leon Bailey from a mortgage spell at Roma, and he will likely be anticipating them to redress a startling truth – Aston Villa are the one staff and not using a Premier League purpose this season from any of their 2025-26 signings.
[BBC]