AFCB

First Team

Team news: Appearance milestone for Christie

Ryan Christie makes his 300th career league appearance in AFC Bournemouth’s clash against top-flight counterparts Sheffield United at Vitality Stadium today (3pm kick-off).

Christie keeps his place after a bout of sickness forced him off during the half-time interval of the Cherries’ 2-0 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Scotland international is closing in on 100 league appearances for the Cherries having also played for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Aberdeen and Celtic.

Chris Mepham returns to the Cherries starting line-up as head coach Andoni Iraola makes one change following the win over the Clarets.

Mepham replaces fellow defender Marcos Senesi who succumbed to a hamstring injury during the early stages against Burnley.  

Senesi has been forced to withdraw from international duty with Argentina, his place taken by Boca Juniors defender Nicolás Valentini for friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica in America.

There is a welcome return among the Cherries substitutes for Tyler Adams, who is back following a six-month layoff due to a hamstring injury.

Adams, who had a runout for the development squad in midweek, last featured for the first team against Stoke City in the Carabao Cup in September.

Dom Solanke also starts for the Cherries, although Lloyd Kelly and Max Aarons remain sidelined as they recover from their respective muscle strains.

AFC Bournemouth: Neto, Kerkez, Cook, Mepham, Solanke, Christie, Smith, Tavernier, Kluivert, Zabarnyi, Semenyo.

Subs: Travers (g/k), Faivre, Ouattara, Scott, Sinisterra, Adams, Ünal, Philip, Kinsey.

Sheffield United: Grbić, Baldock, Trusty, Hamer, McBurnie, Brereton Díaz, Robinson, Bogle, Davies, Osborn, Arblaster.

Subs: Foderingham (g/k), Ahmedhodžić, Norwood, Vinícius de Souza Costa, Larouci, McAtee, Curtis, Osula, Brooks.

Referee: Anthony Taylor.