Andoni Iraola’s side have won just once in their past five league games, away at Southampton, and were frustrated to return from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with just one point after a good performance last weekend.
But they remain in the pack pursuing European football, and, while they are ninth, they are three points off fifth place.
Brentford, meanwhile, will be hoping to bring themselves into European contention in the final ten games of the season, with the Bees currently sat just outside the tight pack in the league top ten.
_(Image: John Walton/PA Wire)_ The Daily Echo previews Saturday’s game at Dean Court.
**Team News**
Iraola will be boosted by the return of Illia Zabarnyi this weekend after his three-game suspension for his red card against Wolves.
The Ukrainian will likely slot straight back into centre back alongside Dean Huijsen, allowing James Hill to go to right back and Lewis Cook to return to his favoured centre midfield position.
_(Image: John Walton/PA Wire)_ Julian Araujo has returned to training after his injury but is yet to return to a match day squad so he may be involved, while Marcos Senesi is set for a return to training after this game during the international break.
Thomas Frank may be boosted by the return of Sepp van den Berg and Michael Kayode for the trip to Dorset, while Igor Thiago, Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, Joshua Dasilva and Fabio Carvalho are ruled out.
**Head-to-Head**
Brentford have the historical edge over the Cherries, winning 47 of the games between the two sides compared to Bournemouth’s 39, and they are unbeaten in the past six meetings.
The teams met at the Gtech Community Stadium in November, and, despite Bournemouth twice taking the lead, the hosts came back to win 3-2.
Evanilson opened the scoring for the Cherries after 17 minutes, cutting out a poor backpass and rounding keeper Mark Flekken to score into an empty net, before Yoane Wissa equalised.
_(Image: PA Wire/John Walton)_ The Cherries retook the lead with a good move from a corner early in the second half, but Mikkel Damsgaard drew the Bees level within a minute, before Wissa scored his second to give Brentford the points.
**Last Time Out**
Iraola’s Cherries lost a two-goal advantage to take a point at Spurs last Sunday, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson scoring for the visitors before Pape Matar Sarr and a Son Heung-Min penalty rescued the draw for the hosts.
This followed 1-0 and 2-1 defeats to Wolves and Brighton respectively for the Dorset side, after they beat Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium in mid-February.
Brentford lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa on Saturday, after winning two, drawing one and losing one across their four games in February.
AFC Bournemouth host Brentford at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, March 15. Kick off is at 5.30pm and the game will be broadcast on Sky Sports.