AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth will be hoping to continue their unbeaten start to 2019 in the Premier League at Vitality Stadium when they host Wolves on Saturday.
AFC Bournemouth v Wolves
Saturday 23 February
Premier League, 3pm
Vitality Stadium
Having taken the Championship by storm last season, Wolves are currently leading the race for seventh place in the Premier League.
And as the big six continue to duel for Champions League places, the men from Molineux will be looking to widen the gap between themselves and the rest of the field.
Some shrewd summer signings by Nuno Espirito Santo fortified a squad which romped to promotion, with Wolves finishing 11 points clear of third-placed Fulham.
Portugal’s number one goalkeeper Rui Patricio and countryman Joao Moutinho, a highly-experienced midfielder, have both played a major role in helping them take the step up in their stride.
And Raul Jimenez has adapted to the English game with ease since his loan move from Benfica, the striker contributing nine Premier League goals and five assists.
A vital cog in the Wolves attack, the 27-year-old Mexico international has led the line with aplomb and been strong, powerful and unselfish.
Of the summer additions, four were last season’s loanees – Diogo Jota (£13m), Willy Boly (£10m), Leo Bonatini (£5m) and Ruben Vinagre (£2m) – all of whom impressed in the Championship.
Espirito Santo’s team have been rewarded for their positive approach with draws at Arsenal and Manchester United as well as 3-1 victories at Tottenham and Everton.
The Espirito Santo revolution, which has been backed by owners Fosun, is in full swing as the club looks to establish itself as a formidable force in the Premier League.
LAST TIME OUT
Bristol City 0-1 Wolves
Ivan Cavaleiro’s first-half goal booked Wolves an FA Cup quarter-final berth for the first time since 2003.
The Portuguese scored with the game’s first shot in the 28th minute to settle in the visitors’ favour a tight affair at Ashton Gate.
Victory saw Wolves continue their impressive season and set up a last-eight encounter with Manchester United at Molineux next month.
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo said: “I thought we played really well in the first half, building, creating chances and scoring. In the second half, we had to hold on to what we had.
“It is very difficult to defend against such a very good team and we had to be brave.”
2018-19 TOP SCORER
Raul Jimenez (11 goals in all competitions)
THE MANAGER
Nuno Espirito Santo
Tasked with bringing back the glory days to Molineux, Nuno Espirito Santo wasted no time by winning promotion to the Premier League in his first season.
He replaced Paul Lambert in May 2017 and presided over a Championship-winning campaign as Wolves ended their six-year title-flight exile.
A goalkeeper during his playing days, Espirito Santo started out at Vitoria de Guimaraes before moving to Deportivo de La Coruna in La Liga.
He made more than 100 appearances during loan spells with Merida and Osasuna before Porto paid three million euro to sign him in July 2002.
Espirito Santo was then sold to Russian Premier League outfit Dynamo Moscow but headed back to Porto following a brief spell with Aves.
Following his retirement, Espirito Santo was appointed manager at Rio Ave, guiding the Portuguese club into the Europa League for the first time in its history.
In July 2014, he signed a one-year contract with Valencia and led them to fourth place in La Liga in his first season.
He resigned in November 2015 and took over at Porto in June 2016 before leaving the club the following May after they had finished second.
KEY STATS
- Wolves have scored five goals in the 90th minute and injury-time this season – the joint highest number along with Manchester United and Cardiff.
- The Cherries did the double over Wolves in their 2014/15 Championship-winning campaign, with Harry Arter and Matt Ritchie on target at Molineux and Yann Kermorgant netting twice at Vitality Stadium.
- Joao Moutinho has registered five assists in his past four Premier League matches, taking to seven his tally for the season.
- The Cherries’ Ryan Fraser has assisted with nine goals, one fewer than Chelsea’s Eden Hazard who leads the charts.
- Reg Cutler’s goal earned the Cherries a 1-0 win at Molineux on their way to reaching the sixth round of the FA Cup in 1956/57.
- Outside of the top six, the Cherries lead the way with 37 goals scored in the Premier League, three more than Wolves.
- The Cherries scored three times in both Division Three fixtures against Wolves in 1985/86 – Tom Heffernan, Colin Clarke and John Beck netting at Dean Court and Clarke, Sean O’Driscoll and Ian Thompson on the scoresheet at Molineux.
