AFC Bournemouth
Head coach Scott Parker hands Premier League debuts to four players for AFC Bournemouth’s curtain-raiser against Aston Villa at Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
Jordan Zemura, Ben Pearson, Kieffer Moore and new signing Marcus Tavernier have all been named in the Cherries starting line-up against the Villans.
Zemura becomes the sixth Cherries academy graduate to represent the club in the top flight, following in the footsteps of Baily Cargill, Matt Worthington, Jack Simpson, Sam Surridge and Mark Travers.
Goalkeeper Travers, who kept a clean sheet on his Premier League debut against Tottenham in May 2019, makes his 50th league appearance for the club.
Tavernier is handed his first start for the Cherries after becoming the club’s third summer signing following his arrival from Middlesbrough at the start of the week.
Fellow new recruits Joe Rothwell and Ryan Fredericks are both ruled out due to injury, Parker confirming they would not feature at his press conference on Thursday.
Midfielder Pearson, whose last league start came at Barnsley in January, makes his top-flight debut having been on the books of Manchester United as a youngster.
And striker Moore, who was playing for Truro in Conference South ten years ago, makes his first appearance in the top flight two days before his 30th birthday and as the Premier League marked the start of its 30th season.
Villa arrived in Dorset fresh from an unbeaten pre-season games programme which saw them win four and draw one of their five matches.
Former Cherries striker Danny Ings is named in the Villa starting line-up, while Tyrone Mings is on the bench for the visitors.
The Midlanders were the Cherries’ first opponents in the Premier League, Rudy Gestede’s goal earning them a 1-0 victory at Vitality Stadium in August 2015.
AFC Bournemouth: Travers, Smith, Mepham, Lerma, Kelly, Zemura, Pearson, Billing, Tavernier Solanke, Moore. Substitutes: Cook, Christie, Marcondes, Stacey, Stanislas, Hill, Anthony, Dembele, Dennis (g/k).
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Carlos, Konsa, Digne, McGinn, Ings, Coutinho, Bailey, Ramsey, Kamara. Substitutes: Mings, Luiz, Buendia, Watkins, Chambers, Augustinsson, Young, Archer, Olsen (g/k).
Referee: Peter Bankes.
