Mansion Sports – The Premier League 2025/2026 season presents another compelling fixture as Bournemouth prepare to host Chelsea on Matchweek 15.

This match is scheduled to take place at the Vitality Stadium on Friday, 5 December 2025, at 15:00 local time.

Both clubs enter the encounter seeking redemption following midweek defeats, meeting on Saturday afternoon in what marks their first clash since January, when they played out a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, highlighted by Reece James’ dramatic 95th-minute equaliser.

Below is a detailed overview of both teams’ conditions heading into the match alongside the projected lineups for Bournemouth vs Chelsea in December 2025.

Team Conditions Ahead of the Match

Bournemouth

November proved to be a challenging month for Bournemouth, who failed to secure a victory in their last four Premier League fixtures (D1 L3) and conceded a total of 12 goals.

Three of those goals came in last weekend’s 3-2 defeat to Sunderland, despite Bournemouth initially leading by two goals.

Their struggles carried into December as they suffered a narrow 1-0 home loss to Everton on Tuesday night, with Jack Grealish scoring the decisive goal in the 78th minute and handing Bournemouth their first home defeat of the season.

Manager Andoni Iraola expressed disappointment with his team’s performance, particularly the lack of midfield intensity that has weakened their competitiveness in recent matches.

Bournemouth have secured just two wins in their last 10 Premier League outings (D4 L4), a downturn that has placed added pressure on Iraola’s position.

This decline pushed Bournemouth from second place to 14th, although they remain only five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

As they seek to avoid consecutive home defeats for the first time since April, Bournemouth will rely on the fact that 14 of their 19 points this season have been earned at the Vitality Stadium.

However, they have beaten Chelsea at home only twice in 11 meetings, with their last home victory coming in January 2019.

Chelsea

Chelsea delivered one of their poorest performances of the season in a 3-1 defeat against relegation-threatened Leeds United, a result that hindered their ambition to remain competitive at the top of the table.

Despite dominating with 630 completed passes—their highest total this season—Chelsea struggled to create meaningful chances and lacked defensive organisation. Manager Enzo Maresca admitted that Leeds outperformed his side in every key area.

Chelsea now trail league leaders Arsenal by nine points, and the absence of Moises Caicedo—serving the second of his three-match suspension—poses a notable concern. The team have won only two of their last eight Premier League matches without him since 2023.

With seven matches to be played over the final 24 days of 2025, Chelsea have little time to recover from the setback. 

Following their trip to Bournemouth, they will travel to Italy to face Atalanta BC in the Champions League.

Despite their recent defeat, Chelsea still boast one of the strongest away records in the league this season with 13 points collected on the road—more than their home tally at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are also unbeaten in their last four visits to Bournemouth, including a narrow 1-0 victory in September 2024.

Bournemouth vs Chelsea Predicted Lineups – December 2025

Bournemouth (4-2-3-1)

Ryan Christie (knee injury) and Ben Gannon Doak (hamstring injury) remain sidelined, while Lewis Cook and Tyler Adams are unavailable due to suspension.

Marcos Senesi and David Brooks return from one-match bans and are expected to slot directly back into defence and the wide attacking position.

The absence of Cook and Adams opens the door for Marcus Tavernier to play deeper in midfield, while Evanilson is likely to lead the attack once again.

Bournemouth Lineup Table

Chelsea (4-2-3-1)

Chelsea continue to be without Moises Caicedo as he serves the second match of his suspension. Levi Colwill (knee), Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo (both thigh injuries), along with Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspension), also remain unavailable. 

The return of Cole Palmer after 14 matches brings a significant boost and increases the likelihood he will start in the number-10 role.

Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are potential starters in the attacking line, while Malo Gusto is expected to reclaim the right-back position, shifting Trevoh Chalobah into central defence.

Chelsea Lineup Table

The discussion above outlines the conditions of both teams and the projected lineups for Bournemouth vs Chelsea in December 2025 as both sides attempt to rebound from recent setbacks.