Last Word on Football brings you the latest team and injury news, plus the predicted lineups ahead of the Bournemouth vs Sunderland Premier League clash on Saturday, 12:30 GMT. Bournemouth will be hoping to break the 40-point barrier with a win and a chance of qualifying for Europe. The Black Cats will be desperate to bounce back from three consecutive league defeats and get within touching distance of their 40 points target for the season; however, their injury list is getting bigger.
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Bournemouth vs Sunderland: Latest Team News and Predicted Lineups
Bournemouth Team News
Cherries head coach Andoni Iraola has confirmed that midfielder Lewis Cook is definitely out of the game with a hamstring injury. He said: “We did an MRI after he felt something the day before the last game against West Ham. He has a hamstring injury. I think he will be out for some weeks. I think he will try, but I think it’s going to be difficult that he comes [back] before the international break. Then we are talking about two or three weeks.”
Iraola will also be without long-term absentees Justin Kluivert (knee) and Ben Gannon-Doak (hamstring).
Sunderland Team News
The Black Cats will be without six first-team players for their trip to the South Coast. Missing will be Brian Brobbey (groin), Nordi Mukiele (calf), Reinildo (knee), Dennis Cirkin (hamstring), Romaine Mundle (hamstring), and Jocelin Ta Bi (ankle).
However, Regis Le Bris could welcome back midfielder and captain Granit Xhaka to the starting eleven following his substitute appearance last weekend. Winger Bertrand Traore is also back in contention after recovering from an injury while on international duty at AFCON.
Bournemouth Predicted Lineup
Petrovic
Jimenez
Hill
Senesi
Truffert
Adams
Scott
Rayan
Kroupi
Adli
Evanilson
Subs: Brooks, Christie, Smith, Tavernier, Diakite, Unal, Toth, Mandas, Milosavljevic
Sunderland Predicted Lineup
Roefs
Geertruida
Ballard
Alderete
Hume
Xhaka
Sadiki
Diarra
Le Fee
Talbi
Mayenda
Subs: Ellborg, O’Nien, Rigg, Traore, Isidor, Angulo, Jones, Geragusian, Whittaker
Featured image courtesy of SmartFrame / Brentford FC Official Photography Library