Everything on... Bournemouth

Following a splendid display at Goodison Park on Sunday, we continue our hectic festive schedule as we face Bournemouth on Boxing Day at Wembley (3pm).

The Cherries moved back into the top-half of the Premier League on Saturday as they overcame Brighton at the Vitality Stadium. The triumph over the Seagulls was only their second in their last eight games as they try to rekindle their bright early season form.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Boxing Day battle…

Team news

Bournemouth will be without Lewis Cook, Adam Smith and Dan Gosling for Wednesday’s clash at Wembley. After rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the Cherries’ 2-1 win over Huddersfield at the start of the month, midfielder Cook is set to be on the side lines for between six and nine months. Meanwhile, former Spur Smith remains on the treatment table following cartilage damage sustained to his right knee and defender Gosling also remains unavailable with a knee injury.

One to watch

England international Callum Wilson is scoring the goals down on the south coast, but it is 24-year-old Ryan Fraser providing the chances. The Scottish international has been in fine fettle this year as his lightning speed and passing prowess has led to eight goals for the Cherries – in fact only Eden Hazard has more assists to his name (9) than Fraser in the Premier League. The midfielder has also been chipping in with goals this season and has found the back of the net four times already, just one less than his highest-ever total for a Premier League campaign. Before moving to the Dorset-based outfit in 2013, Fraser had come through the Academy at Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen.

Last five meetings

11 March, 2018 – AFC Bournemouth 1-4 Spurs – Premier League
14 October, 2017 – Spurs 1-0 AFC Bournemouth – Premier League
15 April, 2017 – Spurs 4-0 AFC Bournemouth – Premier League
22 October, 2016 – AFC Bournemouth 0-0 Spurs – Premier League
20 March, 2016 – Spurs 3-0 AFC Bournemouth – Premier League

Previous clash

We moved up to third in the Premier League back in March after storming to a 4-1 victory at the Vitality Stadium. We had gone behind in the early stages on the south coast as Junior Stanislas fired the Cherries in front on seven minutes but, after losing Harry Kane through injury, we got ourselves back on terms through Dele Alli just after the half-hour mark. We pressed for the lead as we came out for the second half and goalscorer Dele would turn provider as he crossed for Heung-Min Son to volley us in front. As Bournemouth pushed to salvage a point, we picked the Cherries off on the counter-attack with Son grabbing his second with just minutes remaining. We weren’t finished yet though as Serge Aurier rounded off the win in added time, heading Kieran Trippier’s teasing cross into an empty net.

Bournemouth’s form

It had been a flying start to the season for the Cherries as they went unbeaten in August, securing wins over Cardiff City and West Ham before a 2-2 draw against Everton. However, they stuttered the following month losing two of their next three games. Bournemouth’s form picked up in October though, as Eddie Howe was named the Premier League’s Manager of the Month with his side picking up 10 points out of a possible 12 and progressing to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup following a 2-1 win over Championship high-fliers Norwich City. Their form dipped again though with just two wins in their next eight. Neverthless, they remain eighth.

Magic moment 

Christian Eriksen provided great relief in October last year as his strike on 47 minutes against Bournemouth was enough to seal our first Premier League win at Wembley. Heung-Min Son made progress down the right flank before picking out the Danish midfielder as he made inroads into the Cherries’ box. Faced with three defenders, the midfielder wriggled his way through to find just enough room to pick out the bottom corner perfectly and raise the roof at the national stadium.

Played for both

Darren Anderton remains the Club's record appearance maker in the Premier League with 299 to his name between 1992-2004. A midfielder who could play wide or centrally, with great technique and an eye for a pass, Darren played over 350 times for us in all competitions, weighing in with 48 goals. He had an almost telepathic relationship with Teddy Sheringham and after playing for England in Euro 96 and the 1998 World Cup, helped us to the 1999 League Cup. He later moved to Birmingham and Wolves before ending his career at Bournemouth.

What they’re saying

Speaking to the media ahead of his side’s visit to Wembley, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said: “We have found the games against Tottenham difficult. They are a very good team. We have had some good matches against them, we haven’t quite been on the right side of the result, but we enjoy the challenge and we enjoy these challenges where we haven’t achieved something yet but we’re working towards it.

“They have quality in the forward areas. They have quality in the wide areas and that’s justified by their league position and their run of form that they’re on.

“I think for us it’s always a case of having a game plan and delivering that game plan in the way that we want to. I think we’ve done that in recent games against the top clubs, we just haven’t been really clinical enough when we’ve had our chances and we’ve had a few against the bigger teams.

“Of course, you need a defensive structure and mentality that can keep them out and then again we’ve suffered a few times with that. It's small margins for us that we’ve been on the wrong end of but we’re looking to put that right in this game.”