Sports Mole

For the second time in the space of two Premier League matchweeks, the Vitality Stadium welcomes a North London powerhouse, as Bournemouth host Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.

Andoni Iraola's men came out on the wrong end of a five-goal thriller with Arsenal in gameweek 20, while the Lilywhites were held to a painful home draw by Sunderland over the weekend.

Match preview

Seventh heaven for Arsenal, 11th hell for Bournemouth, whose appalling winless run in the top flight stretched further into the double figures despite a valiant effort against the league leaders, who initially went behind to an Evanilson effort.

However, Gabriel Magalhaes's redemption strike and Declan Rice's brace put Arsenal firmly in control, before Eli Junior Kroupi's fabulous finish proved to be little more than mere consolation for the soon-to-be apoplectic Cherries.

Bournemouth understandably took issue with Chris Kavanagh blowing his full-time whistle as they were about to send the ball into the box, but even if that chance had led to a leveller, it would have made no difference to their worrying winless sequence.

Eleven games without a win is Bournemouth's longest-ever in a single top-flight season, but thanks to the dismal results of the bottom three, the 15th-placed hosts are still closer to the top five points-wise than they are the relegation zone.

Furthermore, four of Bournemouth's five top-flight successes so far in 2025-26 have come at their Vitality Stadium home, but Iraola's men now welcome a visiting side who could regain their status as the Premier League's best away team.

Only Arsenal (20 points) have out-performed Spurs (18) on the road in the 2025-26 top flight, and with the Gunners hosting Liverpool on Thursday night, victory for the Lilywhites will see them reclaim their away perch on the South Coast.

That will certainly be easier said than done in spite of Bournemouth's struggles, though, as Thomas Frank's men are still flattering to deceive in these harsh winter months and dropped two points in excruciating fashion against newly-promoted Sunderland.

Brian Brobbey's rocket cancelled out Ben Davies's opener in a 1-1 stalemate, although the Black Cats have also taken points off of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City this season, so Sunday's result was not of the nightmarish variety for Frank.

That will come as little comfort to the Tottenham supporters who see their side languish in 13th place in the overall table, though, and from their last 11 Premier League matches home and away, the Lilywhites have come up trumps in just two of them.

On the plus side, the visitors are on the hunt for their third consecutive Premier League away clean sheet - not since April 2022 have they managed that feat - but Bournemouth's 1-0 win in August means that the Cherries could now complete their first-ever double over their North London counterparts.

Bournemouth Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Team News

Long-serving Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook returned from a neck injury to come off the bench against the Gunners, leaving six players in the treatment room, none of whom are expected back for this fixture.

Tyler Adams (knee), Ben Gannon-Doak (thigh), Veljko Milosavljevic (knee), Ryan Christie (knee), Matai Akinmboni (muscle) and Will Dennis (ankle) are all absent for the hosts; the latter's injury triggered the signing of ex-Spurs goalkeeper Fraser Forster as a free agent.

With his £65m move to Manchester City yet to go through, Antoine Semenyo is expected to be at Iraola's disposal once again, for what may be his final home appearance in a red and black jersey.

Semenyo will likely not be squaring up to compatriot Mohammed Kudus, though, as the Spurs winger sustained a thigh injury in the first half of the draw with Sunderland and will surely take his place on the sidelines this week.

Kudus is one of seven absent Spurs men at present alongside Yves Bissouma (AFCON), Pape Sarr (AFCON), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Destiny Udogie (thigh) and Dominic Solanke (ankle), but Xavi Simons is at least back from a three-match suspension.

The Dutchman will almost certainly be restored to the first XI in place of the stricken Kudus, while Lucas Bergvall could also earn a spot in the XI after Wilson Odobert took a whack to the face over the weekend.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:

Petrovic; Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Tavernier, Scott; Semenyo, Kluivert, Brooks; Evanilson

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies; Gray, Bentancur; Simons, Bergvall, Tel; Richarlison

We say: Bournemouth 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

History suggests that Spurs must score twice to stand a chance of succeeding on Wednesday; they have prevailed in their four away games at Bournemouth in which they have netted two goals or more, but failed to win the other four when they have scored one or fewer.

The latter scenario appears more likely this week amid Frank's creative injury crisis, but Spurs have added a layer of defensive steel away from home and should be good enough for a point against a struggling Cherries outfit.

Tottenham Hotspur will be aiming to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they tackle Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

Spurs will enter the match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Sunderland, and Thomas Frank's side are currently down in 13th spot in the Premier League table.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Tottenham’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of the contest against Sunderland, who are seventh in the division.

James Maddison

Status: Out

Type of injury: ACL

Possible return date: Unknown

Maddison has been sidelined since sustaining an ACL injury in August, and the Englishman is targeting a return to action during pre-season.

Dominic Solanke

Status: Out

Type of injury: Ankle

Possible return date: Unknown

Solanke underwent ankle surgery at the end of September, and he remains unavailable for selection, but the forward has recently returned to first-team training.

Mohammed Kudus

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Thigh

Possible return date: January 7 (vs. Bournemouth)

Kudus was forced off against Sunderland last time out with a thigh issue, and the attacker is therefore a major doubt for the clash with Bournemouth.

Dejan Kulusevski

Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Kulusevski is still recovering from a knee injury that he picked up towards the end of last season, and a return date for the attacker is unclear at this stage.

Yves Bissouma

Status: Out

Type of injury: Suspension/AFCON

Possible return date: Unknown

Bissouma remains suspended due to “an internal matter” relating to the midfielder being filmed inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon earlier this year, while he is currently with the Mali squad at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Destiny Udogie

Status: Major doubt

Type of injury: Hamstring

Possible return date: January 7 (vs. Bournemouth)

Udogie picked up a hamstring injury towards the end of Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle on December 2, but the defender has made strong recent progress and could potentially be in the squad against Bournemouth.

Pape Sarr

Status: Out

Type of issue: AFCON

Possible return date: Unknown

Tottenham are currently without the services of Sarr due to the midfielder's involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations for Senegal.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR’S SUSPENSION LIST

Tottenham have no players suspended for this match, with Xavi Simons completing his Premier League ban against Sunderland last time out.

For the second time in as many Premier League gameweeks, Bournemouth pit their wits against a North London club, this time tackling Tottenham Hotspur in midweek.

The Cherries' valiant efforts were in vain in Saturday's 3-2 loss to Arsenal in gameweek 20, while Spurs could only muster a point at home to Sunderland in a 1-1 draw.

Here, Sports Mole provides everything you need to know about how to tune into the contest.

What time does Bournemouth vs. Tottenham kick off?

Bournemouth vs. Tottenham kicks off at 7.30pm on Wednesday, January 7.

The clash is one of six Premier League games commencing at that exact time, a list that also includes Fulham vs. Chelsea and Manchester City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion.

Where is Bournemouth vs. Tottenham being played?

Bournemouth are welcoming Spurs to their Vitality Stadium home, the smallest ground in the Premier League with a capacity of just 11,307.

The Cherries prevailed 1-0 over Tottenham in front of their own fans last season, courtesy of a Dean Huijsen header.

How to watch Bournemouth vs. Tottenham in the UK

TV channels

Fans can catch the action on the Sky Sports Golf channel, as part of Sky's commitment to show a whopping 215 live games this season.

Sky Sports Golf is channel number 406 on Sky, 515 on Virgin Media and 423 for BT/EE TV customers.

Online streaming

The Sky Go and Sky Sports app will offer mobile, laptop and tablet streaming for Sky customers, but those without a TV package can also watch on NOW TV.

A day pass costs £14.99, while a monthly subscription will set you back £30.99 a month, and the service can be accessed on phones, computers, games consoles and smart TVs.

Highlights

The Sky Sports Premier League YouTube channel will post highlights shortly after full time, and they will also be available on the club accounts and the Sky Sports website.

Viewers can also watch the best of the action on Match of the Day, which starts at 10.40pm on BBC One on Wednesday night.

What is at stake for Bournemouth and Tottenham?

Formerly keeping pace with Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, Bournemouth have fallen well off the pace during the winter months and are now winless in 11 top-flight games on the spin.

The Cherries are only three places above the dreaded drop zone - albeit with a healthy points gap to the bottom three - but it remains to be seen whether Andoni Iraola still has Manchester City-bound Antoine Semenyo at his disposal for the visit of Spurs.

Speaking of Tottenham, Thomas Frank's future could soon be at stake if the underwhelming results continue, as the reigning Europa League champions have only won two of their last 11 matches in the division.

However, the Lilywhites could overtake Arsenal to become the Premier League's best-performing away team again; the Lilywhites have collected 18 points on the road this term, just two fewer than the Gunners' 20.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered yet another crushing injury blow within 20 minutes of the start of their Premier League clash with Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.

Thomas Frank's men returned to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium bidding to build on a measly record of two wins from their last 10 Premier League games after Thursday's goalless draw at Brentford.

Summer signing Mohammed Kudus endured another frustrating evening at the Gtech Community Stadium, as his blank made it five games on the spin without a goal or assist in the top flight.

Nevertheless, the Ghanaian has still been one of Spurs' most productive attackers this season, claiming two goals and six assists in the first half of the Premier League season.

Kudus has missed just one match through injury so far - the 2-2 draw with Manchester United in November - but the former West Ham United man could now be set for another spell on the sidelines.

Mohammed Kudus goes off injured in Spurs vs. Sunderland

Kudus unsurprisingly made the first XI for Sunday's visit of Sunderland to North London, starting alongside Wilson Odobert, Richarlison and Mathys Tel in a four-pronged Spurs frontline.

However, the Ghana international's race was run after just 19 minutes, as he sat down in the turf in distress and trudged off to be replaced by Randal Kolo Muani.

Kudus appeared to be clutching the top of his left thigh before he was substituted, and Frank will no doubt be pressed for an update when he conducts his post-match press conference.

Even a minor muscular injury could rule the attacker out for a couple of weeks, though, potentially making him doubtful for all of Bournemouth, Aston Villa, West Ham United and Borussia Dortmund.

How can Tottenham replace injured Mohammed Kudus?

Spurs fans must be wondering what they did to deserve such negative karma, as Kudus's injury left Frank without no fewer than four creative players for the remainder of their clash with Sunderland.

Dejan Kulusevski and Mohammed Kudus are no closer to returning from their serious knee problems, although Xavi Simons will have completed his three-game ban when the current gameweek ends.

Frank could therefore bring the Dutchman straight back into the XI and shift either Odobert or Richarlison to the right wing, allowing Kolo Muani and Tel to occupy the striker and left-wing slots respectively.

However, if Kudus is out for a long period of time, Spurs could turn to the transfer market, especially after just selling Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace for £35m.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly earmarked a former Norwich City winger as a potential Brennan Johnson replacement.

The Lilywhites sanctioned Johnson's £35m move to Crystal Palace at the start of the January transfer window, after the Welshman was informed he was not in Thomas Frank's long-term plans.

Spurs sold Johnson to their London rivals despite the absences of Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison through injury, while Xavi Simons still has one game of his three-match suspension to serve.

Wilson Odobert, Mohammed Kudus, Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel are all alternative options out wide, but the latter is struggling for game time, and none of the quartet has truly set the world alight this term.

Furthermore, the Lilywhites have just offloaded Manor Solomon to Fiorentina on loan, after recalling the Israeli attacker from his spell at Villarreal.

As a result, Frank and sporting director Fabio Paratici are said to be after wide reinforcements in the January window, and TEAMtalk reports that Christos Tzolis is a name on the Lilywhites' shortlist.

Spurs must pay 'record-breaking fee' for Christos Tzolis transfer

The 23-year-old is perhaps best known for his three years at Norwich from 2021 to 2024, although he only made 30 appearance for the Canaries, including 14 in the 2021-22 Premier League.

Tzolis subsequently moved to Dusseldorf in 2024 after a short loan spell, but he was immediately transferred to Belgian side Club Brugge, whom he has excelled for since that £5.7m transfer.

The Greece international has produced an exceptional 63 goal contributions in 86 appearances for the Belgian giants in all tournaments - 32 of his own and 31 assists - and he has been in merciless form throughout 2025-26.

Tzolis boasts 11 goals and 15 assists from 30 games in the current season, and he is understood to be 'highly respected' by senior figures in Tottenham's analytics and scouting departments.

However, in order to land the 2002-born attacker, Tottenham would reportedly have to make him Club Brugge's most expensive sale of all time at around £35m, surpassing the £32.2m that AC Milan paid for Charles De Ketelaere in 2022.

Christos Tzolis on six-strong Tottenham attacking shortlist?

One senior Spurs scout is supposedly convinced that Tzolis is the player that the club should pursue, and the Greek attacker is four years older and wiser than he was during his only previous season in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old lacks the star factor of some of the other names on Tottenham's attacking shortlist, though; the Lilywhites are said to be considering a total of six names to bolster their wide ranks either in January or the summer.

Real Madrid's Rodrygo and Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams are supposedly wanted by the Europa League winners, although both would prove to be significantly pricier than Tzolis.

Manchester City's Savinho, Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche and Atalanta BC's Ademola Lookman complete Tottenham's wishlist, and the former could be a viable option once Antoine Semenyo's £65m move to the Etihad has gone through.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will reportedly face competition from another Big Six club to sign Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba in 2026.

The Cameroon international has struggled to hit his highest heights in 2026, but he remains one of the most sought-after engine-room enforcers in the Premier League.

Brighton chief Paul Barber recently confirmed that the Seagulls had not yet received any offers for Baleba, whom they are expected to demand north of £100m for when the summer window rolls around.

A January swoop for the former Lille midfielder will be almost impossible without an extortionate fee, but Man Utd and Spurs could go head-to-head for his services at the end of the season.

However, a third heavyweight has apparently joined the race to sign Baleba in the coming months, as CaughtOffside report that Liverpool have also taken an interest in the 22-year-old.

Liverpool join Man Utd, Spurs in Carlos Baleba race?

The Premier League champions currently have Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo in their midfield ranks, although the latter is in his 30s and is not a long-term investment.

The same cannot be said for Stefan Bajcetic, but the youngster has endured an injury-hit couple of years and has struggled to replicate his feats from his breakthrough 2022-23 season.

The report adds that 'initial enquiries' for Baleba have already been made, and Brighton are under 'no illusions' that they will struggle to keep the 22-year-old on the books for the 2026-27 season.

Bayern Munich are also said to be in the hunt for Baleba's signature amid speculation over the future of Leon Goretzka, who has also been heavily linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Baleba has two and a half years left to run on his contract at the Amex Stadium, and he is four appearances away from reaching 100 games in a blue and white shirt.

Why Man Utd move makes more sense than Liverpool for Carlos Baleba

Twelve months ago, there should have only been one winner in a Liverpool vs. Man Utd in the race for Baleba, but fast-forward to 2026, and the answer is not so straightforward.

The Reds and the Red Devils are almost neck-and-neck in the race for Champions League football, but Ruben Amorim's side may be able to offer the 2004-born midfielder the regular minutes he craves.

Casemiro is on course to leave at the end of the season, while Manuel Ugarte has flattered to deceive since joining from Paris Saint-Germain and could find himself surplus to requirements soon enough.

Uncertainty over Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes's long-term futures would only serve to benefit Baleba too, but Gravenberch and Mac Allister are immovable in the Liverpool midfield when fully fit and firing.

As a result, Baleba may make Old Trafford his number one destination if he is looking for guaranteed starts, although it will be fascinating to learn his stance when the European placements are decided in May.

Visiting the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the very first time, Sunderland hit the road for Sunday's Premier League showdown with the Lilywhites.

The Black Cats sit five places and three points better off than Spurs in the Premier League table before the start of the gameweek, and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs.

SPURS vs. SUNDERLAND

SPURS

Out: Xavi Simons (suspended), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Dominic Solanke (knee), Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Pape Sarr (AFCON), Yves Bissouma (AFCON)

Doubtful: Lucas Bergvall (knock)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Palhinha, Bentancur; Kudus, Richarlison, Kolo Muani

SUNDERLAND

Out: Noah Sadiki (AFCON), Chemsdine Talbi (AFCON), Reinildo Mandava (AFCON), Arthur Masuaku (AFCON), Bertrand Traore (AFCON), Habib Diarra (AFCON), Aji Alese (shoulder)

Doubtful: Daniel Ballard (ankle), Brian Brobbey (muscle)

Chelsea have emerged as a contender for Oumar Solet, but they are one of five Premier League teams interested in the Udinese defender, the latest report has claimed.

After the Blues parted company with Enzo Maresca, supporters have been fixated on who might take over from the Italian, with Liam Rosenior the early favourite.

Despite the managerial turmoil at Stamford Bridge, it would not be surprising if the club were busy in the transfer market regardless of when they appoint their next head coach.

The latest link to emerge has been to Udinese centre-back Oumar Solet, who could come in to provide stability in defence.

However, TEAMtalk report that the Blues could face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Manchester United for his signature.

Oumar Solet in profile: Should Chelsea target Udinese centre-back?

Oumar Solet is 25 and has plenty of room for development, though he is older than the profile of player the Blues would normally target.

With the injury to Levi Colwill, Chelsea have at times encountered difficulties when playing out from the back, and that is an area that the Frenchman excels in.

Solet has stood out at Udinese for his passing given he ranks first for attempted passes (1,030), and he is significantly ahead of the Udinese player with the second most attempted passes Jesper Karlstrom (656).

The 25-year-old's aerial win rate of 59.5% would rank lower than Chelsea centre-backs Benoit Badiashile (60%), Tosin Adarabioyo (67.4%) and Wesley Fofana (68.4%), so he may have to be partnered by an aerially dominant partner.

Can Chelsea win the race for Oumar Solet?

When players make the switch to other teams, one of the most important things a prospective club can offer is stability, and it is difficult to argue that Stamford Bridge can provide that to the defender.

Maresca may not have met all of Chelsea's expectations, but it is concerning that the Londoners will now be looking for a fifth permanent manager since the arrival of Todd Boehly in 2022.

Tottenham and Manchester United may also have somewhat unstable managerial situations with Thomas Frank and Ruben Amorim, but neither club are as volatile as the Blues at the moment.

West Ham United have confirmed the exit of striker Niclas Fullkrug to AC Milan on an initial loan deal.

The Hammers will continue their battle against Premier League relegation on Saturday, when they take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

If boss Nuno Espirito Santo is to guide his team to safety, he will need his players to start scoring more often given they have only netted 21 goals in the league, the fourth fewest in the division.

It is no surprise that the Londoners have sanctioned the exit of striker Fullkrug in January considering he only scored three times in 29 games for the Hammers.

While Milan only signed the forward on loan, they have the option to make the deal permanent in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news: Exit of defender to Bundesliga

Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach have signed centre-back Kota Takai on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs managed to keep a clean sheet on Thursday, drawing 0-0 with Brentford, and Thomas Frank will be pleased that his side have managed to keep four clean sheets in their last six games in all competitions.

Centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have cemented themselves in the backline, and their presence would have made it difficult for summer signing Takai to earn many starts.

The 21-year-old joined Tottenham on a five-year contract from Kawasaki Frontale in the summer for £5m, but he has not yet made an appearance for the Londoners due to injuries.

While he was named in the squad for his club's 1-0 win against Crystal Palace last Sunday, he will have to wait until 2026-27 to make a first Spurs appearance, though he may at least get regular minutes with Gladbach.

Celtic transfer news: Julian Araujo joins on loan

Celtic have signed Bournemouth right-back Julian Araujo on loan for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.

Manager Wilfred Nancy has encountered difficulties during his time in the dugout, though many of the problems at the club were inherited from previous boss Brendan Rodgers.

It is not surprising that the head coach would look to make additions in January in order to help his team catch first-placed Hearts.

Bournemouth right-back Araujo has arrived at Celtic Park on loan, and he is almost certain to feature on the right side of Nancy's 3-4-3 formation.

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris may consider demoting Brian Brobbey from the first XI when the Black Cats do battle with Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's Premier League affair.

The striker made a nuisance of himself in Thursday's 0-0 draw with Manchester City at the Stadium of Light, notably shrugging off Ruben Dias and forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into a strong save, but he was prematurely withdrawn in the 58th minute for Wilson Isidor.

Le Bris revealed that Brobbey was taken off as a result of muscular tightness, and while the issue is not expected to be serious, it could lead to Isidor winning his place back in attack this weekend.

There has otherwise been no change to the visitors' situation, as Daniel Ballard (ankle) is considered very unlikely to come back for this one, while Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Reinildo Mandava, Arthur Masuaku, Bertrand Traore and Habib Diarra are at the Africa Cup of Nations.

As a result, Enzo Le Fee, Simon Adingra and Eliezer Mayenda should continue as Isidor's supporting cast, with Granit Xhaka and Lutsharel Geertruida operating just behind.

Xhaka can be sure to expect a hostile welcome in North London thanks to his Arsenal connections, but it may be a different story for Dennis Cirkin, once on the books at Spurs' academy.

The left-back has been with Sunderland ever since departing Tottenham in 2021 and should feature from the off against his old employers, who have been linked with a return transfer.

Sunderland possible starting lineup:

Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Cirkin; Geertruida, Xhaka; Mayenda, Le Fee, Adingra; Isidor