Sean Dyche’s men have won on their last two visits to Bournemouth and will face a Cherries side with just two home league victories this season under former Burnley boss Eddie Howe.

But Howe’s outfit – two places and two points behind the 12^th-placed Clarets – arrested a run of five successive defeats last Saturday with a coupon-busting 1-0 win at Chelsea.

Before that, a decent start to the season saw Bournemouth claim a top-seven spot at the start of November.

Dyche Howe.jpg

And Dyche – who followed Howe into the Turf Moor hot-seat seven years ago – knows first-hand how Premier League fortunes can fluctuate after his side ended a second three-match losing run of the season with last weekend’s rock-solid 1-0 win over Newcastle United at Turf Moor.

“Runs of form can come and go quickly. Before you know it you can go three of four deep without a win,” admitted the Burnley boss, who is looking to back up the victory over the Tynesiders with a productive festive run.

“It’s always a balance to how you’re viewing each game and also the understanding of the bigger picture of the season.

“It is likely that teams like ourselves do have some bumps in the road. One of the biggest things is how quickly you can deal with any disappointments that come your way.

“Experience helps and the balance that comes when you do win games. It doesn’t guarantee the next one. You’ve got to be realistic.

“We had a strong performance against Newcastle but that doesn’t guarantee the next one. The players are equally wise enough to know you have to keep working all the time and keep consistency high to get more points on the table.”

Team news

The Clarets are set to be without defender Ben Gibson and winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson, who will be stepping up his match fitness as an over-age player in the U23s.

Ashley Westwood (groin) and Chris Wood (Achilles) face late checks but Charlie Taylor and Kevin Long could return to the squad.

Westwood goal 4.jpg

The Cherries have a number of long-term absentees, including key men Nathan Ake, David Brooks and ex-Clarets winger Junior Stanislas.

They also have doubts over strikers Josh King, who injured an ankle on his comeback at Chelsea last Saturday, and Callum Wilson, while Andrew Surman picked up a knock at Stamford Bridge and fellow midfielder Harry Wilson has returned to parent club Liverpool.

Bournemouth

Form guide

The Clarets ended their three-game losing run with a 1-0 home victory against Newcastle United last Saturday to move up to 12^th in the table.

Sean Dyche’s men have won just once away from home this season but have come away from Bournemouth with all three points on their last two visits.

Wood goal header.jpg

Bournemouth had lost five in a row before Dan Gosling’s late goal gave them a 1-0 win at Chelsea last weekend.

The Cherries have won just twice at home this season, beating Manchester United and Everton.

Opposition camp

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: “When you win you naturally get a bounce, the players feel better about themselves, and it’s the same for the supporters who will have had a lift.

“It’s key now that we push that on and get a good result against Burnley. They’re a team that work incredibly hard, they’re a very effective team and we’re going to have make sure that we’re good.

Eddie Howe Bournmouth 2019.jpg

“We’ll need all the qualities that we showed against Chelsea, to show them again against Burnley. Burnley never give anybody an easy game, Sean Dyche has done a great job there.”

Match stats

Clarets midfielder Jack Cork is set to make his 250^th Premier League appearance.

The 30-year-old, who played his first senior football in a loan spell at Bournemouth 13 years ago, will play his 102^nd top-flight game for Burnley, to go with 80 for Swansea City and 68 for Southampton.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche is looking for his 50^th Premier League victory.

Burnley striker Chris Wood has scored three times in four top-flight games against the Cherries.

The Clarets have won four of the Premier League meetings between the two sides.

Both sides have scored six times form corners this season.

Referee

Martin Atkinson

VAR

David Coote

Kick-off

Saturday, 3pm

POS	Team	PL	PTS
15	FOR	5	5
16	BUR	5	4
17	BRE	5	4

POS	Team	PL	PTS
15	FOR	5	5
16	BUR	5	4
17	BRE	5	4

Dyche Aims For A Cherry Christmas

Premier League table

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