The Premier League action continues tonight, Wednesday, January 7, 2026, as a struggling Bournemouth side welcomes Tottenham Hotspur to the south coast. Kick-off is scheduled for 19:30 GMT.
Both sides are desperate for a positive result to kickstart their 2026 campaigns. Bournemouth is currently enduring a dismal 11-match winless run, while Thomas Frank’s Tottenham is searching for offensive inspiration following back-to-back draws against Brentford and Sunderland.
Match Details: Kick-off & Official Info
Competition: Premier League (Matchday 21)
Date: Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Kick-off: 19:30 GMT / 14:30 ET
Venue: Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Broadcast: Sky Sports (UK), Peacock (US), SuperSport (Africa)
Form Guide: Breaking the Rot vs. Finding the Net
Bournemouth: The Survival Struggle
Andoni Iraola’s men sit in 15th place with 23 points. Despite a valiant effort in a 3–2 loss to league leaders Arsenal last weekend, the Cherries haven't tasted victory in the Premier League since October. While they are still five points clear of the relegation zone, the lack of wins is starting to weigh heavily on the squad. Interestingly, Bournemouth remains the "most entertaining" side in the league statistically, with their matches producing a total of 69 goals so far this season.
Tottenham: Navigating the Injury Crisis
Tottenham enters the match in 13th place (27 points). Life under Thomas Frank has been characterized by defensive solidity but a frustrating lack of clinical finishing. Spurs are unbeaten in their last three games, but consecutive 0–0 and 1–1 draws have seen them slip into the bottom half of the table. With several key creative players sidelined, Frank is tasked with "piecing together solutions" to unlock a porous Bournemouth defense
Team News & AFCON Absentees
Bournemouth Team News
Injury Blow: Justin Kluivert is set to undergo knee surgery and joins Tyler Adams, Ryan Christie, and Ben Gannon-Doak on the sidelines.
Transfer Talk: High-flying winger Antoine Semenyo is expected to start, though rumors suggest this could be his final appearance before a move to Manchester City.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Jimenez, Senesi, Hill, Truffert; Scott, Cook; Semenyo, Kroupi, Brooks; Evanilson.
Tottenham Team News
Kudus Setback: Summer signing Mohammed Kudus is OUT after suffering an abductor injury against Sunderland. Scans suggest the injury is worse than first feared.
Returns: Xavi Simons is back from a three-match suspension and should slot straight into the midfield. Destiny Udogie has traveled but this game may come too soon for a start.
Missing Stars: James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Dominic Solanke remain long-term absentees.
AFCON Duty: Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal) and Yves Bissouma (Mali) are away on international duty.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bentancur; Odobert, Simons, Tel; Richarlison.
Head-to-Head (H2H) & Key Stats
Season Opener: Bournemouth won the reverse fixture 1–0 in North London back in August 2025. A win tonight would secure their first-ever league double over Spurs.
Away Comforts: Tottenham has actually been better on the road this season, ranking 4th in the league for goals scored away from home (1.6 per game).
Discipline: Tottenham currently leads the Premier League in yellow cards (50 in 20 matches).
The Goal Factor: 5 of the last 9 meetings between these two have featured 4 or more goals
Tactical Analysis: High Line vs. Counter-Press
Andoni Iraola will likely stick to his aggressive, high-pressing style. Despite their poor form, Bournemouth creates a high volume of chances, particularly through Antoine Semenyo. They will look to exploit the space left by Tottenham’s marauding full-backs, Pedro Porro and Djed Spence.
For Tottenham, the return of Xavi Simons is massive. He provides the creative link that was sorely missing against Sunderland. Thomas Frank will likely set Spurs up to control the tempo through Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur, hoping that the pace of Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert can catch a Bournemouth defense that has struggled with individual errors.
Match Prediction
Both teams are depleted, but Bournemouth’s home form (unbeaten in 8 of their last 9 at the Vitality) makes them a dangerous underdog. However, Tottenham’s defensive pairing of Romero and Van de Ven remains one of the best in the league. This feels like a game where the "new year blues" might persist for both.
Final Score Prediction: Bournemouth 1–1 Tottenham
