Date: 24th September 2016 at 8:58am
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Following a heavy defeat at Manchester City last time out, AFC Bournemouth host an upwardly-moving Everton side to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe’s Cherries were hit for four without reply against Pep Guardiola’s table-toppers, as goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Kelechi Iheanacho, Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan earned City an easy victory.

The Dorset outfit are now 17th in the table after the loss to the Sky Blues at the Etihad Stadium, and succumbed to an EFL Cup exit at the hands of Championship outfit Preston North End on Tuesday.

Bournemouth slipped to a 3-2 defeat after extra-time as Simon Makienok’s treble secured North End’s passage into the next round on the South-Coast.

It doesn’t get any easier for Howe’s side, when Ronald Koeman’s Everton come to town.

The Toffees, who have gone from strength to strength under the guidance of their Dutch manager, provide an attacking prowess that they had perhaps missed in previous seasons.

Following Saturday’s 3-1 victory over newly-promoted Middlesbrough at Goodison Park, where goals from Gareth Barry, on his 600th top-flight appearance, Seamus Coleman and Romelu Lukaku helped Everton come from behind to move up to second in the table.

The Merseysiders slipped to a home defeat in the EFL Cup on Tuesday night, losing 2-0 at home to fellow Championship side Norwich City, where former Toffee Steven Naismith and Josh Murphy netted the decisive strikes for the Canaries.

Everton and AFC Bournemouth last met at Goodison Park back in April. Tom Cleverley and Leighton Baines were on target for the hosts to secure the three points.

omelu Lukaku of Everton - Photo: Paul Roberts / Offside.

Toffees striker Lukaku has scored four goals in his last two Premier League outings – Photo: Paul Roberts / Offside.

Team News:

Howe is likely to revert back to the squad that lost at Manchester City, following his decision to completely change his starting XI for the midweek defeat to Preston North End.

Therefore, the likes of Artur Boruc, Jordan Ibe, Callum Wilson, Harry Arter, Jack Wilshere and Simon Francis are all set to return.

Everton will hope that powerful forward Lukaku can shrug off a toe injury, whilst Phil Jagielka and Barry could both return. The duo sat out the recent EFL Cup tie.

Mohamed Besic, Darron Gibson and James McCarthy all remain sidelined for the long trip south.

League Positions: AFC Bournemouth – 17th (4pts); Everton – 2nd (13pts)
Last Meeting: Everton 2-1 AFC Bournemouth – (April 30, 2016)
League Form: AFC Bournemouth – LLDWL; Everton – DWWWW
Key Men: AFC Bournemouth – Jack Wilshere; Everton – Romelu Lukaku
Shoot Says: AFC Bournemouth 0-2 Everton
Everton News

 
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