The Premier League action continues tonight, Tuesday, December 30, 2025, as Chelsea hosts Bournemouth in their final fixture of the calendar year. Both teams are looking for a redemptive win after disappointing results on Saturday; Chelsea fell 2–1 to Aston Villa, while the Cherries were soundly beaten 4–1 by Brentford.
With Chelsea currently in 5th place and Bournemouth in 15th, this "halfway point" match is crucial for Enzo Maresca to keep pace with the Champions League spots.
Match Details
Competition: Premier League (Matchday 19)
Kick-off: 19:30 GMT / 14:30 ET
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
Referee: Sam Barrott (VAR: Craig Pawson)
Broadcast: Sky Sports (UK) / USA Network & Universo (US)
Current Form: A Battle of Slumps
Chelsea: Home Comforts Tested
Despite a strong start to the season, the Blues have hit a rough patch, winning only one of their last six league games. However, their home record in 2025 has been impressive, with 12 wins at Stamford Bridge. They will be relying on Joao Pedro (who has scored in back-to-back games) to ignite an attack that was uncharacteristically quiet during their 0–0 draw in the reverse fixture earlier this month.
Bournemouth: Freefall on the South Coast
Andoni Iraola’s side is in a "winless tailspin," having failed to secure three points in their last nine matches. After a flying start that saw them reach 2nd place in October, the Cherries have struggled with defensive consistency. They will lean on Antoine Semenyo, their top scorer with 9 goals, to exploit any gaps in a rotated Chelsea backline.
Team News & Predicted Lineups
Chelsea Team News
Enzo Maresca is expected to bring Wesley Fofana back into the starting lineup after resting him against Villa.
Injury Doubts: Marc Cucurella (Hamstring scan) and Jorrel Hato.
Out: Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill, and Dario Essugo (Long-term).
Returnees: Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, and Estevao Willian are all fit and available.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Gusto; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Joao Pedro.
Bournemouth Team News
The Cherries are dealing with a significant hole in their midfield.
Out: Tyler Adams (MCL injury - out until Spring), Ben Gannon-Doak, Veljko Milosavljevic.
Doubtful: Alex Scott (Knock).
Pushing for Starts: Evanilson and Justin Kluivert after coming off the bench last weekend.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Jimenez, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert; Cook, Scott; Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson.
Key Stats & Head-to-Head
Last Meeting: Bournemouth 0–0 Chelsea (December 6, 2025).
Unbeaten Run: Chelsea is unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games against Bournemouth.
The "Barrott" Factor: Referee Sam Barrott is officiating his first Chelsea game in over a year; his last was a 2–1 loss to Fulham last Boxing Day.
Discipline Watch: Moises Caicedo is one yellow card away from a suspension that would rule him out of the clash against Manchester City this Sunday.
Match Prediction
While Chelsea’s recent form is patchy, Bournemouth’s ongoing nine-game winless streak makes them the clear underdogs. With the return of Estevao and Gittens providing bench depth and Cole Palmer hungry to play a full 90 minutes, the Blues should have too much firepower for the visitors.
Final Score Prediction: Chelsea 2–1 Bournemouth
