Everton v Bournemouth: Team newspublished at 18:27 GMT 10 February
18:27 GMT 10 February
David Moyes makes two changes to the Everton side that came from behind to beat Fulham on Saturday.
Jarrod Branthwaite makes his first home league start of the season in place of Michael Keane, while Tyrique George makes his home debut in place of Harrison Armstrong.
Rayan spreads Brazilian vibes across south coastpublished at 12:29 GMT 10 February
12:29 GMT 10 February
Tom Jordan Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
The year didn't start too favourably for the Cherries as they had to accept life without their star man, Antoine Semenyo, after the big boys at Manchester City came calling.
Therefore, it was time for Bournemouth's recruitment team to find a new star for the south coast faithful to enjoy.
Step forward, Rayan - a teenage Brazilian, brought in from Vasco Da Gama - a lad who had received plenty of praise for his showings at such a young age in his native country.
A direct and aggressive attacker who can play anywhere in the frontline was just what the doctor ordered for the Cherries, and he was exactly the mould of player that head coach Andoni Iraola would have wanted, ensuring that he would undoubtedly be thrilled to have him at his disposal.
He was first utilised as an impact sub at Wolves, having just arrived at the club, and he got Bournemouth fans off their seats in an instant, with a powerful run seeing Rayan lay the ball on a plate to the oncoming Alex Scott to seal the points and his first assist.
Andoni obviously saw enough to then start the Brazilian star-boy in the next game at home to Aston Villa, and boy did he deliver. A display full of energy, confidence and flair was rounded off by a superb goal on his home debut, the perfect way to introduce yourself to the home supporters.
There is clearly a lot to get excited about, and the ceiling feels remarkably high, with a £100m release clause reportedly set in his Bournemouth contract, solidifying that narrative.
With those rousing Brazilian vibes now spreading across the south coast, the Cherries could well be in for a thrilling end to the season, so watch this space!
Everton v Bournemouth: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 08:27 GMT 10 February
08:27 GMT 10 February
Chris Adams BBC Sport journalist
Tuesday night's encounter between Everton and Bournemouth sees two of the Premier League's form sides - both unbeaten in their last five - meet at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton have lost just once since Christmas, a run that has coincided with striker Thierno Barry finding his shooting boots. The former France Under-21 international found the net just once in his first 20 appearances for the Toffees following a £27m move from Villarreal but has shown his worth recently with four in his last eight – only three players have scored more since Christmas.
Another summer signing enjoying something of a purple patch is midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who also has four goals in his last eight league appearances, as many as he scored in his first 82 games in the division.
Fine margins for Moyes' men
David Moyes' side, currently in eighth position with faint hopes of a push for the European spots, could perhaps have done with a little more luck to turn some of their recent draws into wins.
They've hit the woodwork 11 times in the league this season, with only Manchester United (18) and Newcastle (14) doing so more often. Indeed, Everton have hit the bar or the post in four of their last five league games.
Everton's home form has been consistently inconsistent this season, with four wins, four draws and four losses at their new stadium. A 1-0 win at the Vitality Stadium in December means they are looking to complete the league double over Bournemouth for the very first time.
Moyes also has a strong record against this opposition, with five wins and four draws in his 10 top-flight meetings with the Cherries - among sides he's faced 10 or more times in the competition, he has only lost a lower percentage against Sunderland and Birmingham City.
Cherries on the climb
Only Manchester United and Chelsea can boast a better points tally in the last five games than Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth, who have moved from 15th to 11th place since the turn of the year.
Teenage forward Rayan, a £24.7m January arrival from Vasco da Gama, has made an immediate impact. The Brazil Under-20 international followed up an assist for Alex Scott on his debut with the equaliser in last week's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, making him the youngest South American to register goal involvements in each of his first two Premier League appearances.
Iraola's fresh-faced team – all three of Bournemouth's youngest-ever top-flight starting XIs have come in the past five months – have been playing with an energy recently that has resulted in three stoppage-time goals since January.
Trips to Merseyside have not proven fruitful for the Cherries though, with just two wins in a combined 17 league visits to Everton and Liverpool. Troublingly for Iraola, not one of those games has seen them keep a clean sheet.
The long midweek trip north from the Dorset coast could also take its toll on Bournemouth; they've won just one of their last eight league games to take place on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, though that victory did come in their last such match against Spurs in January.
Sutton's predictions: Everton v Bournemouthpublished at 07:44 GMT 10 February
07:44 GMT 10 February
Everton did well to fight back to beat Fulham late on at the weekend, but they could have been more than just a goal down at the break, while Bournemouth were unlucky only to draw with Aston Villa. They peppered Villa's goal with shots.
I am going to go a bit left-field here because although Everton beat Bournemouth earlier in the season, it was only thanks to a late deflected effort by Jack Grealish.
I usually back Everton at home, and I'm usually wrong... so I am going to do something different this time. I am backing Bournemouth to pinch it.
Gossip: Bournemouth fight Kroupi interest with new contractpublished at 07:03 GMT 10 February
07:03 GMT 10 February
Bournemouth are planning to offer 19-year-old forward Eli Junior Kroupi a lucrative new contract in a bid to ward off interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain. (Sun), external
Iraola on Everton, Doak and Truffertpublished at 12:46 GMT 9 February
12:46 GMT 9 February
George Booth BBC Sport journalist
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game against Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium (kick-off 19:30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Because of the quick turnaround after the Cherries' 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, Iraola said it is "difficult to have the same starting 11" to face David Moyes' Everton.
Bournemouth midfielder Ben Gannon-Doak, who last featured for Iraola in November 2025 will start to run this week after sustaining a hamstring injury whilst on international duty with Scotland.
On Gannon-Doak's injury, Iraola said: "He is a little bit later on, especially more than Tyler [Adams] and Tav [Marcus Tavernier]. He is starting this week to run on his own. It is an injury we don't want to take any risks, in the sense that he is a very young player. We don't just need him for these games, we need him for a lot of years. March at the moment is when we can start thinking about him."
Iraola said he's "excited" to visit the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but expects a "difficult" game against the Toffees. "I am looking forward to seeing the stadium and seeing the atmosphere," said Iraola.
On Everton, Iraola added: "I hope we are at the level as they're in a very good moment, and it is going to be very demanding. Sometimes it is difficult to open the games against them as defensively, they are so solid. They are very strong in set-plays, and they have three defenders that lead in aerial duels. I hope we can control the game and not give them as many chances to threaten our box."
Bournemouth full-back Adrien Truffert has made 58 overlapping runs this season, the most of any player in the Premier League, but Iraola says his next "challenge" is adding more assists to his game. "He has a lot of presence in the last third and the volume is always there. It happened similar with Milos [Kerkez]. He was arriving a lot and not getting the assists," added Iraola.
Gossip: Obligation to buy Jimenez clause triggeredpublished at 06:39 GMT 9 February
06:39 GMT 9 February
Alex Jimenez will complete a 19.5m euros (£16.9m) move from AC Milan to Bournemouth on a five-and-a-half-year contract after the full-back's latest appearance for the Cherries activated an obligation to buy in his loan deal. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Lee: Only one team wanted to win this game! Great effort from the Cherries - Alex Scott and James Hill were immense and Emiliano Martinez had to be at his best to keep Villa in the game. Great point and we move on to Everton on Tuesday!
Malcolm: Another top team performance from Andoni Iraola's boys. We have so much talent in the squad and all players are stepping up, including the newer signings. A win looked on the cards but Martinez's performance was top class. Happy days on the south coast.
Roger: A brilliant home debut and goal for Rayan. Given more time being coached by our brilliant manager Iraola, I think he could be better than Antoine Semenyo.
Paul: Very proud of Bournemouth. Time and time again, we push to win games rather than settle for the draw. Villa showed so much less ambition considering their title and Champions League aspirations. Also, I loved seeing the composure and elegance in the play of Scott, Hill and Lewis Cook. All three should be closely looked at for England duty.
Villa fans
Mossy: I think the Villa are in for a long, hard run-in. I really hope we can hang in there for a Champions League spot, but with Manchester United deciding they like their new manager and Chelsea pushing hard, let alone Liverpool, it's going to be very hard to stay in there. We've lost our drive and vision in John McGinn and Youri Tielemans, and our anchor in Boubacar Kamara. You just can't replace all three of them together. Thankfully we have Morgan Rogers up front doing everything he can to drag us home. A decent point, though, against a good team at their ground.
Martyn: This performance was another reality check. The fact is our squad just isn't good enough to maintain our lofty position and the big boys are about to take over the top spots. Fifth place is now a realistic target, which might be vital to retain the services of Unai Emery.
Prit: With the exception of fantastic games by Martinez and Rogers, Villa were not at the races and played like this was a pre-season match. Bournemouth wanted the match more and, in all fairness, deserved the win. Villa seem to have forgotten how to pass the ball to another player and the intensity we had before Christmas has simply evaporated.
Phil: Poor game management by Emery. Too defensive with Tyrone Mings and Lucas Digne starting. Slow to replace Ollie Watkins, who looks leggy. Please sell Leon Bailey and persist with Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott. Martinez saved the day more than once.
'Rayan a replacement capable of filling Semenyo's boots'published at 13:33 GMT 8 February
13:33 GMT 8 February
Sam Ashoo Final Score reporter at Vitality Stadium
Image source, Getty Images
Losing Antoine Semenyo was a big blow to Bournemouth, but in Rayan, the Cherries' recruitment team looked to have unearthed a replacement capable of filling the Ghanaian's boots.
Having impressed after coming on against Wolves last week, Rayan was given his first start against Aston Villa, and he certainly took his opportunity.
My press box seat at Vitality Stadium was low to the right-hand side, offering a perfect chance to see the Brazilian up close in the first half.
He was calling for the ball at every moment, recognising that he had the beating of Lucas Digne.
And it was that duel that would become the key moment in the second half.
When Rayan picked the ball up from deep, there was no thought of passing, or even a give and go, instead he revved the proverbial engine and went 0-60 in the space of about three seconds, easing past Digne and sliding it past Emiliano Martinez.
I have said it before on Final Score, but we must celebrate the dribblers of the Premier League - the players whose first thought is to beat their man instead of recycling possession.
There haven't been enough of them in recent times, but that might be changing.
Watch Premier League highlights and analysispublished at 11:15 GMT 8 February
11:15 GMT 8 February
Pundits Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures and Friday's action.
Bournemouth 1-1 Aston Villa: What Iraola saidpublished at 18:54 GMT 7 February
18:54 GMT 7 February
Media caption,
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, speaking to BBC Sport: "Looking at how the game has evolved, I think it's not enough for us.
"Probably before the game you think a draw would be a decent result, but after the game we do not feel completely satisfied because I think we were the better team today easily.
"But we couldn't win the game."
On his side's missed chances: "We had two situations with Junior Kroupi and usually he's so good at finishing from the edge and after that Rayan hit the crossbar and we had some good chances also.
"Emi Martinez has had a good game and dealt quite well with those corners. We have done enough to win but we did not get the second one."
Did you know?
Since the start of last season, Bournemouth have lost just two of their eight Premier League games against a side starting the day in the top three places (W5 D1).
Since the turn of the year, only Manchester United (14) and Chelsea (13) have collected more points in the Premier League than Bournemouth (11 – W3 D2 L1), prior to Brentford (10) against Newcastle United.
Bournemouth 1-1 Aston Villa: Rayan impresses on first startpublished at 18:27 GMT 7 February
18:27 GMT 7 February
Michael Emons BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Rayan is a Brazil Under-20 international
Mid-table Bournemouth continue to impress in the Premier League, despite regularly having to sell their best players.
Since last season, the Cherries have sold defender Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid for £50m, Milos Kerkez to Liverpool for £40m, Illia Zabarnyi to Paris St-Germain for £57m, and versatile wide player Dango Ouattara to Brentford for £42.5m.
Their most recent high-profile departure was that of Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City for £65m in January, with Rayan, a Brazil Under-20 international, the man signed to be his replacement.
Rayan made an impressive start as a substitute with an assist during Bournemouth's 2-0 win at Wolves and that earned him a first start, with the youngster playing on the right wing and grabbing his opportunity.
He was unlucky in the first half when he headed against the crossbar after Morgan Rogers, who had earlier gave Aston Villa the lead, failed to clear a corner, before Rayan conjured his fine solo goal as he left experienced defender Digne trailing.
Only an inspired display from Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez, with seven saves, denied Bournemouth a victory.
Head coach Andoni Iraola, speaking to Match of the Day, said of the new recruit: "He is an amazing player.
"He can go inside and outside when there's space, and he can go one to one against the defender and it is very difficult for the defender. He's finished it really well.
"He's still a young player who needs to improve some things."
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Bournemouth v Aston Villa" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Arsenal v Sunderland", for instance.
Sutton's predictions: Bournemouth v Aston Villapublished at 11:12 GMT 7 February
11:12 GMT 7 February
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against AI, BBC Sport readers and a variety of guests.
His guest for week 25 is Gladiators star Apollo, real name Alex Gray, who supports Newcastle.
Sutton says: Losing back-to-back home league games against Everton and Brentford has been a real killer for Aston Villa, who have so many injuries to contend with in their midfield.
After a long wait for a win, Bournemouth have now won three of their past four league games - and I make them favourites at home here.
Villa thumped the Cherries 4-0 at Villa Park in November, and I have got a lot of their players in my Fantasy team, but this is going to be a very different game.
I've gone for 2-1 wins in my first two games and I don't really want to go for that scoreline again here, but I feel like I have no choice. I do think Villa will score - Morgan Rogers is always dangerous and Tammy Abraham is a clever signing up front - but Bournemouth will edge it.
Bournemouth v Aston Villa: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 19:01 GMT 6 February
19:01 GMT 6 February
Noel Sliney BBC Sport senior journalist
Rejuvenated Bournemouth have won five of their past seven league games against top-three sides but they are winless in six matches against Saturday's high-flying visitors Aston Villa (15:00 GMT).
Villa won the reverse fixture 4-0 and are vying to complete their first league double over Bournemouth. Nonetheless, the Villans are experiencing a domestic dip in form, taking just seven points from six matches.
Kroupi becoming cornerstone of rebuilt Bournemouth
It has been a curious season so far for Bournemouth. They were second in the table after nine matches but then went 11 without a win before recovering to earn 10 points from their past four league fixtures.
Their recent upturn has come despite the £62.5m sale of Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City, who became the sixth key departure from the side which ended last season with a club record Premier League points total.
Amid the team rebuild, one player who has come to the fore is Junior Kroupi. Plucked a year ago from Lorient in the French second division, where he stayed on loan until last summer, the 19-year-old forward has steadily made himself indispensable.
Kroupi has been nominated for the Premier League's Player of the Month award for January, during which he scored three goals in five games – including a 20-yard strike against Arsenal and superb half-volley to put Bournemouth ahead at Wolves last weekend.
The £10m signing has made four Premier League starts in a row for the first time, playing as a support striker behind Evanilson, and his eight goals this season are the second most by a teenager in Europe's top five leagues behind Lamine Yamal of Barcelona.
Kroupi also has the best minutes-per-goal ratio of anyone to score more than once in the Premier League this term, as well as the best shot conversion rate – finding the net with 38% of his attempts on goal.
Misfiring Villa in need of an attacking spark
A run of three defeats in six league games, coupled with long-term injuries to three key midfielders, has perhaps recalibrated Aston Villa's credentials. Though being third in the table is certainly no fluke – Villa have consistently shown top-four form since Unai Emery's arrival in late 2022 – they are unable to match the star quality and squad depth of the teams around them.
They were excellent just a fortnight ago in beating Newcastle at St James' Park, but have now lost back-to-back home league games, latterly against 10-man Brentford.
The controversially disallowed goal for Tammy Abraham, back at the club for a second spell, last Sunday means Aston Villa have failed to score in three of their past four top-flight matches. Neither did they particularly trouble the opposition defence in any of those three games.
Emery predominantly brought in attacking players during the January transfer window, including recalling winger Leon Bailey from a loan spell at Roma, and he will be eager for them to redress a startling fact – Aston Villa are the only team without a Premier League goal this season from any of their 2025-26 signings.
Iraola on Brooks' fitness, Jimenez future and transfer businesspublished at 12:55 GMT 6 February
12:55 GMT 6 February
Huzaifah Khan BBC Sport journalist
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Aston Villa at Vitality Stadium (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Iraola confirmed he has the same squad to pick from for this weekend after beating Wolves last time out.
He also said David Brooks will be assessed and could be added.
On defender Alex Jimenez being close to making his loan move permanent with a start against Villa, Iraola confirmed it is a matter of time before it happens and said Jimenez "will be a very good player".
Reflecting on the transfer window and losing key player Antoine Semenyo, he said: "For this transfer window, time will tell. I think it was difficult because when you lose a player like Antoine Semenyo, it's difficult to replace, but I think we have done well. I'm happy with the players we have signed."
When asked whether he had a say over transfer business, Iraola said, "No, it's not about me. I don't sign players. I always say that. I don't sign players. When the club does, you have the hope that these players will be successful, but you never know."
He added: "When you sign players, especially when they are young and come from different environments, you never know."
Iraola was asked whether working with a young squad is what appeals to him as his contract expires at the end of the season. He said: "I try to help the club sign the best players we can. Some players we tried to sign but failed."
He added: "The market isn't the most important thing for me, the most important thing for me is the performances, how we can continue to build and get points."
'It was up to me to show what I can do' - Adli on recent startspublished at 08:40 GMT 6 February
08:40 GMT 6 February
Image source, Getty Images
Amine Adli was used predominantly from the bench during his first few months with Bournemouth following his summer move from Bayer Leverkusen, but has started the club's past three Premier League games and contributed to a four-match unbeaten league run.
The Morocco international winger told BBC Radio Solent: "It was not an easy situation when I first came here, I expected to play more, but in football these things can happen and you need to be ready for everything.
"During that time I was working and showing in training every minute to the coach that I could play more and I deserved to play more. Football is about decisions, you need to respect that and it's on you to do what you can to change the situation.
"We had injuries, players who left, I had this opportunity and it was up to me to show what I can do.
"I think I have performed quite well. I'm happy to have a lot of playing time, I'm feeling better on the pitch and my sensations are better. Now I'm just looking to have the best performances I can."
'Relatively pleased' with January window despite Semenyo exitpublished at 11:22 GMT 5 February
11:22 GMT 5 February
Mark Mitchener BBC Sport senior journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Bournemouth can be relatively pleased with their January transfer window, in the context that it was a month in which they lost their star player in Antoine Semenyo.
While it may irk some Cherries fans to be reminded of their place in the food chain of English football (and these days, world football), they are not at the stage where they can be considered a "final destination" for elite players.
However, compared to 20 to 30 years ago, their best players are no longer being picked off for below market rates, simply to pay a tax bill or otherwise keep the club in existence.
Succession planning is a large part of any club recruitment team's job and Brazilian teenager Rayan's cameo appearance in Saturday's win at Wolves is already encouraging fans of his potential as Semenyo's long-term successor.
Such planning will now extend to the summer. With Marcos Senesi's contract winding down, and every indication that the Argentina defender will look to exploit free agency and move on, a left-footed central defender would appear to be high on the shopping list.
While the new Squad Cost Ratio regulations favour the bigger clubs – it was no surprise that the likes of Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford voted against their introduction – and mean that another big sale or two cannot be ruled out, it will be hoped that the Cherries are not facing the sort of (admittedly high-priced) multiple departures they suffered in the summer of 2025.
With a crucial planning application to expand Vitality Stadium for next season now under scrutiny by the local council, 2026 could also be an important year of off-field progress.
'Our business has been solid and purposeful'published at 12:26 GMT 4 February
12:26 GMT 4 February
Sam Davis Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
After a poor run of results at the end of 2025, January saw Bournemouth improve on their form with some statement wins against Liverpool and Spurs, plus a hard-fought victory at Wolves - a result which has put them just three points off seventh place.
In seasons gone by, it has felt like our transfer activity has often been dictated by recent results.
This time last year, the Cherries had an injury crisis, yet some stunning results seemed to entice us into being very frugal in the market.
This time around, we've had a similar pattern of results and garnering 10 points out of 15 might have taken the pressure off somewhat. However, the need to replace Semenyo was always one of the most urgent requirements and via the acquisition of Rayan Vitor from Vasco Da Gama, we definitely have done that.
Early signs are good, with his pace, power and unpredictability being very much a nod to Antoine.
Elsewhere, Hungarian star Alex Tóth has made an impact already in a couple of showings for the Cherries, where he has looked like an assured midfielder with plenty of energy and character.
Plus, the loan signing of Greek goalkeeper Christos Mandas from Lazio (as well as a short-term deal for Fraser Forster) provides Iraola with some goalkeeper cover, and this has already paid dividends with Djordje Petrovic upping his levels since their arrivals.
Overall, our business has been solid and purposeful.
What bodes well for us this time around is that the new signings are ready to play and are of significant quality, as opposed to last season when players were either loaned straight back, or were fringe players at best.
With a noticeable pragmatism in our pressing style recently, Iraola seems to be all too aware of the dreaded second half of the season drop-off, so maybe this managing of intensity, twinned with having "oven-ready" signings as well as players returning from injury, can help keep this squad at an optimal level - and who knows what we might achieve.
Image source, Premier League
