Bournemouth host Sunderland at Dean Court (Vitality Stadium) on Sunday 18 October 2026, with kick-off at 14:00 in Premier League gameweek 7. Both clubs are near the foot of the table and both badly need points.
Table and form
Sunderland are 17th with four points from six games, one win and a goal difference of -6. Bournemouth are 18th with three points and the same goal difference. Fulham are 20th on two points, while Man City lead the way with six wins from six and 18 points.
Sunderland ended a run of three straight defeats by beating Fulham 1-0, and followed it with a 1-1 draw at Brentford. Before that they lost 2-0 to Brighton, 5-3 at Man City and 2-0 to Arsenal.
Bournemouth have not won in their last five. They have drawn three, 1-1 with Everton, 2-2 at Newcastle and 2-2 with Brentford, and lost the other two, 1-0 to Liverpool and 5-1 at Chelsea.
The numbers that matter
Neither side has been prolific. Bournemouth average 1.17 goals per game and concede 2.17, for 0.5 points per game. Sunderland average 1.00 goals and concede 2.00, for 0.67 points per game. Sunderland have one clean sheet this season. Bournemouth have none. Bournemouth have collected 18 yellow cards to Sunderland's 11.
Expected goals data via Fantasy Premier League (xG, the quality of chances created) gives Sunderland the better underlying record. They create 1.76 xG per game and allow 1.68, against 1.36 and 1.34 for Bournemouth. Bournemouth's xG against is well below the 2.17 goals a game they actually concede.
Among individuals, Sunderland's Brobbey has 2.94 xG and three goals in 399 minutes. Eliezer Le Fée's 1.59 expected assists is the highest creative figure in either list, although he has one assist. For Bournemouth, Tavernier has three goals from 1.7 xG in 496 minutes, and Evanilson has three assists to go with one goal.
Injuries and head-to-head
FPL lists Bournemouth's Milosavljević, J.Araujo and Scott as out with thigh injuries, each with no known return date. It also lists Kroupi.Jr, the club's first-choice penalty taker in FPL's data, as out with a foot injury and expected back on 7 November.
For Sunderland, FPL lists Ballard (hamstring) and Mundle (knee) as out with no return date. Meunier is doubtful with a groin problem, 75% chance of playing, and Isidor is doubtful with a knock, 50% chance of playing. Diarra is Sunderland's first-choice penalty taker in FPL's data.
The recent head-to-head is level on wins. Sunderland won 3-2 in the game on 29 November 2025, and the sides drew 1-1 at Bournemouth on 28 February 2026. Bournemouth have yet to beat Sunderland in those two meetings.
MFF prediction
MFF's match model predicts a 2-1 Bournemouth win. It gives the home side a 50% chance of victory, with 24% for a draw and 27% for a Sunderland win.