Tottenham vs Bournemouth: Premier League Showdown Preview
Tottenham Hotspur have a golden opportunity to claim the top spot in the Premier League when they host Bournemouth at their North London fortress this Saturday afternoon.
Fresh off a stunning 2-0 victory at Manchester City, Thomas Frank’s Spurs are riding high. Meanwhile, Bournemouth are licking their wounds after a midweek EFL Cup second-round exit against Brentford.
Last weekend’s clash at the Etihad was a tale of two sides coming off dream opening matches. Tottenham, however, stole the show. Brennan Johnson’s electrifying breakaway goal set the tone, followed by a calamitous error from City’s James Trafford, whose wayward pass gifted Joao Palhinha a clinical finish. Frank’s resolute defense then stood tall, shutting out Erling Haaland and company in the second half.
Frank etched his name in the history books with that win, becoming only the third manager—alongside legends Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte—to defeat Pep Guardiola away with two different clubs, having previously masterminded Brentford’s shock Etihad win in 2022.
Sitting second, just behind rivals Arsenal on goal difference, Spurs can leap to the league’s summit with a single point against Bournemouth. But with Frank’s side off to a flying start, anything less than a win will feel like a letdown for the Tottenham faithful.
A victory would mark Spurs’ third straight win to open a Premier League campaign, a feat achieved only three times before in club history. Even more impressively, they could become just the second Spurs side—after Nuno Espirito Santo’s 2021-22 squad—to start a season with three consecutive wins and clean sheets.
On the other side, Bournemouth showed grit in their 1-0 win over Wolves last weekend, with Marcus Tavernier’s early strike and Toti’s red card sealing the deal. But their midweek cup loss to Brentford—courtesy of goals from Fabio Carvalho and Igor Thiago—ended their hopes of a European backdoor through the EFL Cup.
Despite the daunting trip to North London, Bournemouth can take heart from their strong record in the capital. The Cherries are unbeaten in their last six Premier League away games against London clubs, though five of those ended in draws. They’ve also been prolific on the road, failing to score in just one of their last 16 top-flight away matches.
Last season, Bournemouth took four points off Tottenham in their two meetings, including a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Son Heung-min’s late penalty salvaged a point after the Cherries let a 2-0 lead slip.
Tottenham’s squad, however, faces challenges. Yves Bissouma, yet to feature this season due to injury and off-field issues, was linked with a move to Galatasaray, but concerns over his fitness may scuttle the deal. He’ll miss this match, joined on the sidelines by Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Radu Dragusin (ACL), James Maddison (ACL), Kota Takai (foot), and Bryan Gil (knee). Destiny Udogie (knee) could return, though. Frank is likely to stick with his winning lineup, with Richarlison and Johnson eyeing history as the first Spurs players to record a goal or assist in each of the opening three Premier League games.
For Bournemouth, Julian Araujo’s red card in the EFL Cup loss means a one-match ban, with Adam Smith set to step in. Enes Unal and Lewis Cook are also out with knee injuries until after the international break. After giving starts to Ben Doak, Amine Adli, and Eli Junior Kroupi in midweek, Andoni Iraola is expected to revert to his trusted attacking quartet of Tavernier, Antoine Semenyo, David Brooks, and Evanilson.
