AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth get their Premier League campaign started in 2018/19 with a match-up against newly-promoted Cardiff City.
AFC Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Saturday 11th August, 3pm
Premier League
Vitality Stadium
The waiting is finally over and after a gruelling pre-season, seven friendlies and three exciting signings, it's time for the Cherries to get their 2018/19 campaign started.
Visitors Cardiff City head to the south coast at the beginning of their second tilt at the Premier League with a number of new signings and led by their experienced manager Neil Warnock, whose latest promotion with the Bluebirds was a record-breaking eighth in English football.
Last time out
Cardiff City 1-2 Real Betis
A day after Real Betis won 2-0 at Vitality Stadium they completed a double over today's opponents with a win at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Summer signing Josh Murphy raced forwards to give the hosts an early lead, but before half time Loren Moron - who also scored a day earlier against the Cherries - equalised and Cristian Tello soon gave Betis the lead, an advantage the Spanish side wouldn't let slip despite second-half pressure.
Cardiff City: Etheridge, Peltier, Morrison, Manga, Bennett (Cunningham 71), Bamba, Ralls, Paterson, Hoilett (Damour 63), J. Murphy (Mendez-Laing 71), Decordova-Reid (Zohore 63)
2017/18 top scorer: Junior Hoilett (11 goals)
Team news
Warnock brought in two further players ahead of the transfer window closing on Thursday, with midfielder Victor Camarasa joining on loan from Real Betis.
Harry Arter also completed a transfer right on the deadline, moving from the Cherries to the Bluebirds on loan for the season, but he isn't eligible for Saturday's game.
The incoming pair follow goalkeeper Alex Smithies, defender Greg Cunningham and forwards Josh Murphy and Bobby Reid in at the south Wales club, with more than a dozen Cardiff players potentially in line to make their Premier League bows at Vitality Stadium.
Manager
Warnock completed his record eighth promotion by bringing Cardiff back to the top-flight in May, but the 69-year-old has yet to keep a side up in the Premier League, a statistic he will be desperate to sweep to one side during the upcoming campaign.
Top stat
Left-back Joe Bennett made his Premier League debut nine years ago for Middlesbrough and once had a loan spell with the Cherries in the club's first Premier League season - but didn't make an appearance.
