Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
Outgoing manager Andoni Iraola plans to make his last few weeks with Bournemouth count by leading them to European football next season, and the Cherries are on their way with just four games left. If the 2025-26 season ended now, Bournemouth are in the Europa Conference League, as they’re seventh in the English top-flight standings with 49 points.
Bournemouth are on the brink, as they haven’t lost a Premier League match for quite some time, and Iraola’s men plan to keep it going when they host Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Crystal Palace are miles away from being in the hunt for European football next term. However, the Eagles are now the favourites to win this year’s Europa Conference League, following their 3-1 first-leg win over Shakhtar Donetsk last night. Like Iraola, manager Oliver Glasner will also leave his club this offseason.
Talking Points
Bournemouth get attacking boost
Bournemouth’s attack received a major boost ahead of Sunday, as Justin Kluivert was seen back in training this week. The Dutchman, one of the Cherries’ top scorers last term, has been out of action since January due to knee surgery after their defeat to Arsenal, and his best-case scenario is coming off the bench against Crystal Palace.
Kluivert is eager to help Bournemouth, even if the team has done well without him. The 26-year-old forward said earlier this month that his injury had healed well, and he plans to use the final few weeks of the season to build his form, with the hopes of making it to the Netherlands national team for this summer’s World Cup.
Besides Kluivert, Lewis Cook is also not far away from a return after missing the Leeds United match last weekend. He could also come off the bench against Crystal Palace, with Ryan Christie and Alex Scott likely to make up their double pivot setup.
Crystal Palace will certainly have their hands full with Eli Junior Kroupi and Marcos Senesi. Kroupi leads the Cherries in scoring with 11 goals, making him a hot commodity ahead of the summer transfer window. Senesi is the team’s top playmaker with five assists, despite being a centre-back.
Sarr sets the tone for Crystal Palace
After a goalless draw against West Ham United and a 3-1 loss to Liverpool last weekend, Crystal Palace returned to winning ways with a much-needed victory against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa Conference League semi-finals, where Ismaila Sarr wrote his name into the history books.
Sarr recorded the fastest Europa Conference League goal ever, as the Senegalese winger drew first blood just 21 seconds into the match, giving his Eagles an immediate advantage. He’ll be eager to be on the scoresheet anew against Bournemouth, as he hasn’t scored a Premier League goal since his brace in their 3-1 win over Tottenham last March.
History
Bournemouth and Crystal Palace have shared the spoils in their last three Premier League meetings, including a 3-3 draw last October, where Eli Junior Kroupi (brace) and Ryan Christie scored for the Cherries, and Jean-Philippe Mateta recorded a hat-trick for the Eagles.
The Cherries are undefeated in their last 14 Premier League matches (W6, D8), the longest ongoing run in the English top-flight. 1996-97 Wimbledon and 2015-16 Chelsea are the only teams to have had a 14-game unbeaten run within a single campaign that finished outside the Top 6. They are also unbeaten in their last five Premier League games against Crystal Palace (W2, D3) after losing five in a row before this.
Crystal Palace have kept a clean sheet in five of their eight Premier League away matches against Bournemouth. However, they’ve lost seven of their last 13 Premier League away matches (W5, D1), which is as many road losses as in their first 28 such games under head coach Oliver Glasner (W11, D10).
Betting Tip
The Premier League 2026 odds expect Bournemouth to breeze past Crystal Palace this Sunday, extending their unbeaten run. Because they’re playing at home, the Cherries are 1.60 favourites to take maximum points, while the Eagles are 4.75 underdogs, and a draw is at 3.77 in the 1X2 market.
Just like in their reverse fixture, SBOTOP football fans at the Vitality Stadium can expect their usual dose of Premier League 2026 highlights. Besides our recommended bet, punters may also want to add Over 2.50 at 1.65 and Over 2.75 at 1.91 to the parlay. Moreover, the Correct Score of 3-3 – the result of their last encounter – has a mouthwatering long-shot offer of 80.00 your bet.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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