Bournemouth vs West Ham United

Bournemouth and West Ham United are set to trade tackles at the Vitality Stadium in a game that could have a substantial ride on the Premier League survival battle.

Bournemouth stunned Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 on the road in the previous round, making it three wins in their last four Premier League matches (L1), including two in a row, to move six points clear of the relegation zone. Indeed, only Aston Villa (12) have amassed more Premier League points in April than Bournemouth (9). However, the ‘Cherries’ cannot afford to rest on their laurels if they’re to beat the drop, especially considering their four-game home league form (W2, L2) suggests this ‘relegation six-pointer’ could go either way. Gary O’Neil’s men feel optimistic about their prospects in this clash. Since losing their first-ever Premier League home meeting with West Ham, they’ve gone unbeaten in their last four top-flight H2Hs at the Vitality Stadium (W2, D2).

Meanwhile, West Ham United pulled off a come-from-behind 4-1 home win over Gent in midweek Europa Conference League action to reach the semi-finals. Though lifting the trophy in Europe’s second-tier competition remains the only way to qualify the ‘Hammers’ for next season’s European football, they must deal with a more pressing issue. Only four points clear of 18th-placed Nottingham Forest at the beginning of this round, David Moyes’ men are not out of the woods yet. West Ham can draw confidence from snapping a dreadful 11-game winless away run in the Premier League with a narrow 1-0 triumph at Fulham on their last league travel. But it’s been over a year since they last won back-to-back away matches in the Premier League.