Current Premier League champions Chelsea will be hoping to continue their recovery process when they host newly-promoted Bournemouth in the late kick-off on Saturday.
Road to recovery
The last few weeks has seen the glimpses of the old Chelsea side return after what has been a horrific start to the season for Jose Mourinho’s side.
Chelsea currently remain unbeaten in three matches after victories over Norwich City and Maccabi Tel Aviv in the league and Champions League respectively.
They carried that into their match last Sunday when they faced a in-form Tottenham Hotspur side in a ferocious London Derby.
Mourinho would have been left disappointed as his side had the better of the few opportunities to take the three points but the game ultimately finished goalless. However, it can still be seen as progress for a side that are getting back on their feet.
Struggling Cherries
Bournemouth were on cloud nine when they defied all the odds last season and managed to get promoted to the top flight of English football. But in the five months since then they have been brought back down to earth with an almighty thud.
Eddie Howe’s team, as expected, are battling at the bottom of the table and they currently sit just inside the relegation zone in 18th, two points behind recently in-form Sunderland.
Their recent form isn't anything to shout about either, with their last league win coming back in September against the Black Cats.
They have failed to win in their last six matches, which includes four defeats, but they did manage to grind out points in their last two matches, securing draws against Swansea City and Everton.
Collecting the point against Roberto Martinez’s side proved to be one of the most dramatic matches of the season so far, with goals from Adam Smith and Junior Stanislas seemingly giving them a draw before Ross Barkley gave the visitors the lead late on.
However it was Stanislas who had the last laugh as he struck home in the eighth minute of extra-time to give the Cherries a 3-3 draw and a confidence boost ahead of their trip to Stamford Bridge.
Team news
Mourinho is set to be without his captain John Terry as he continues to recover from an ankle injury, while Ramires could also be a doubt with a muscular issue that he picked up at White Hart Lane.
On a positive note, Radamel Falcao could make a return against Howe’s side after recovering from his own muscular issue, while Thibaut Courtois could make his long-awaited return in goal after been missing since September with a knee injury.
Howe has quite the injury crisis on his hands as it remains unclear if either Artur Boruc or Adam Federici will make an appearance at Stamford Bridge as the two goalkeepers troubled by groin/knee and ankle injuries respectively.
Harry Arter is also expected to be absent for the trip to the capital as he his suffering with a hamstring issue.
Chelsea will host AFC Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, December 5 with kick-off at 5:30PM BST.