Bournemouth host Aston Villa at Vitality Stadium on 7 February 2026, with kickoff at 15:00 UTC in Premier League Regular Season Round 25. The Cherries sit 12th on 33 points, while Villa arrive in third place with 46 points and a strong Champions League push in progress.
Bournemouth Availability
Andoni Iraola faces a significant absentee list that will test the squad's depth. Midfielders Tyler Adams and Marcus Tavernier are ruled out with knee and thigh injuries respectively, while defender Julio Soler also misses out. In attack, Justin Kluivert and Ben Doak are sidelined, and Matai Akinmboni remains unavailable. David Brooks is still questionable with an ankle problem. Crucially, the squad must now adapt without their former talisman Antoine Semenyo, who completed a club-record transfer to Manchester City in January. In his absence, the scoring burden falls heavily on teenage sensation Eli Junior Kroupi, who has impressed with 8 league goals this season, alongside the creative Amine Adli.
Aston Villa Availability
Unai Emery is dealing with a thinned midfield, as Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn, and Youri Tielemans all remain long-term absentees. Defender Andrés García and January signing Alysson are also ruled out for the trip to the South Coast. However, the Villans receive a massive boost as Emery confirmed that star striker Ollie Watkins is fully fit and ready to start after training normally this week. Watkins, with 8 league goals, will be supported by Morgan Rogers, who continues to be the team's primary creative hub with 7 goals and 5 assists this campaign.
Impact Summary
Both squads are stretched, but the dynamics have shifted significantly. Bournemouth must find a way to replace the explosive output of the departed Semenyo, placing immense pressure on Junior Kroupi to lead the line. For Aston Villa, the return of Ollie Watkins to the starting XI changes the outlook completely; despite a depleted midfield, having their most clinical finisher available likely tips the balance in favor of the visitors as they look to solidify their third-place standing.
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