Following the international break, Premier League action is back this weekend as Bournemouth host Brighton in an all-South Coast clash at the Vitality Stadium.
Making up for opening day defeat at Anfield, Andoni Iraola’s side have made a superb start to the league season, defeating Wolves and Tottenham in their last two games without conceding a goal.
New signings such as Adrien Truffert and Bafode Diakite look more than comfortable in red and black, making instant impacts, whilst additions like Amine Adli and Eli Junior Kroupi have added some much-needed depth to **Iraola**’s squad.
On the other hand, the visitors are also gaining praise at the start of the season.
Brighton have picked up four points, defeating Manchester City, drawing on the opening day with Fulham, and losing to Everton.
Mediocre is the word to describe **Brighton**’s start to the Premier League campaign.
However, as the Seagulls continue to readjust to life without Joao Pedro, they face an opponent that has been incredibly favourable and provided a plethora of points for the Sussex side in recent years.
Looking towards Saturday’s fixture, here are some of the biggest questions and talking points about the game.
At the top level, you have to be clinical
All in all, Bournemouth have been impressive at the start of the 2025/26 Premier League season, especially considering their big losses in players such as Milos Kerkez, Illia Zabarnyi, and Milos Kerkez at the back.
However, while the Cherries have picked up six points in their first three games and created an abundance of chances in front of goal.
One recurring issue for **Iraola**’s side has been in turning those chances into goals and being clinical.
Starting with the first home game of the season for the Cherries against Wolves.
Typically, this is a game that Bournemouth would have been expected to win, and that is exactly what they did.
The away side rarely threatened, following **Toti Gomes**’ dismissal, but the Cherries failed to put the game to bed, leaving fans biting their fingernails up until the referee’s final whistle.
Dominating possession throughout the game, **Iraola**’s players certainly created chances, firing 14 shots towards **Jose Sa**’s goal.
Marcus Tavernier was the game’s only scorer, netting his first goal of the season in the fourth minute.
However, in an idle world, the Cherries would have wanted to score much more.
In the modern day, xG has become a prevalent part of football, with teams judging their attacking success purely on that stat, and that is the exact area that **Iraola**’s team needs to improve in.
In the **Wolves**game, Bournemouth underperformed their xG by 0.57, and Antoine Semenyo missed out on 0.68 xG.
In the following fixture, Bournemouth found themselves in a similar scenario, recording an outstanding away victory as they defeated Tottenham.
However, despite the south coast side's strong performance, their Spanish tactician will know that it should have been a two- or three-goal scoreline.
Again, it was the early show for the Cherries as Evanilson lofted in his first goal of the season to seal all three points.
Nevertheless, they underperformed their xG by 0.59, with Spurs and Mathys Tel almost giving the 7th placed team a late scare.
Overall, it is hard to find places of criticism or improvement after a brilliant start for Bournemouth, but coming into the weekend, **Iraola**will hope that his side can put out a real statement and score several goals at home.
Expecting an energetic battle in the middle
Losing **Pedro**in the summer, it is safe to say that Brighton’s point of attack has become considerably weaker, with Danny Welbeck looking isolated at the start of the season.
Forevermore, Brighton’s main strengths come in their midfield duo of Carlos Baleba and Jack Hinshelwood, who provide energy and stability for the team going forward.
Linked with a big money move to Manchester United in the summer, **Baleba**has quickly made a name for himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
A player that can do a little bit of everything, the Cameroon international has averaged 1.55 interceptions, 5.69 recoveries, and 1.03 chances created per 90.
**Baleba**’s partner in crime, Hinshelwood, has also continued his rapid rise in the English top-flight as the Englishman now sits as an accomplished player at the top level at just 20 years of age.
Able to play in the middle or on either side as a full back, **Hinshelwood**averages 5.09 duels won, 5.09 recoveries, and 52.6 touches per 90, with the academy product also being a steady presence on the ball; **Hinshelwood**yet to be dispossessed this season.
At times, **Fabian Hurzeler**’s system can be big on expression and creativity, with the Seagulls housing quality wide men such as Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh.
However, **Baleba**and **Hinshelwood**are the core and key for Brighton, providing the team’s bedrock.
Coming up against the Cherries, Brighton’s dynamic duo will have a real challenge on their hands as they face one of the most impressive players at the start of this Premier League season in Tyler Adams, and one of Alex Scott or Ryan Christie.
So far, Bournemouth seem to have the perfect balance in midfield, playing with aggression and a press-first mentality, alongside being able and poised on the ball.
Maybe two opposite styles of players rather than Brighton’s two-man unit, the role of **Adams**will be huge in this fixture, having to stop both Baleba, Hinshelwood, and Georginio Rutter, Brighton’s number 10.
Alex Jimenez to make his debut?
In recent times, Bournemouth always seem to get it right on the transfer front, buying upcoming talents at a low price before developing them and flipping them to a top team in Europe.
However, despite the money that they have spent, right back has continued to be a position of issue, with Adam Smith remaining Bournemouth’s starting right full back, despite being 34.
**Smith**seemed to be showing that age is just a number at the start of the Premier League as he put in brilliant back-to-back performances, but **Smith**’s run in the squad came to an end in the Cherries' win over Tottenham as the veteran pulled his hamstring.
The south coast side reacted in the transfer market, agreeing an initial loan deal for AC Milan full back, Alex Jimenez.
Jimenez, a 21-year-old versatile full back, is yet to make his debut in English football, but with pace and forward-thinking central to his playstyle, the Spaniard seems to be an ideal fit for an Iraola system.
With **Smith**out with injury and **Julian Araujo**’s early-season struggles, **Jimenez**seems to be the obvious replacement at right back.
In the Premier League, there is no such thing as an easy debut, but coming up against a winger like Kaoru Mitoma, the Spaniard will have to be on his A-game.
Not particularly a player that got his chance at AC Milan, within his 22 appearances (14 being starts) in Serie A last season, **Jimenez**averaged 1.06 shots, 0.85 chances created, 1.84 successful dribbles, 5.46 duels won, and 4.89 recoveries per 90.
A player who can do it all, and a rare archetype for his position.
If selected, Jimenez’s role will be crucial in this fixture, and if the Spaniard can impress on his debut, Bournemouth will likely get a result.
However, if **Mitoma**proves to be too tricky a customer for the AC Milan loanee, Brighton may take home all of the south coast bragging rights.