The 2024/25 Premier League season has provided plenty of twists, turns, and unpredictable moments. However, giant killings have been a persistent event.
Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are two of the best teams of those, taking on fights and trading shots with the traditional 'big six' in the race for Europe.
The two now meet at the Vitality Stadium as the Cherries are trailing the Champions League spots by just a measly three points, while Nuno Espírito Santo's Forest sit in third place.
Bournemouth return home on top of the world after a dominant 4-1 victory away against an in-form Newcastle side.
Andoni Iraola's side are also on an unbeaten run of 11 matches, 10 of those in the Premier League for a club-record run.
The Spaniard's side will be without nine players due to injury, but unbeaten in their last six at home, and with points gained away against both Chelsea and Newcastle last week, their confidence will be at a high.
Comparatively, Forest are on an unbeaten run themselves; eight games unbeaten in the league, winning seven of those and conceding just six goals.
On their travels, the Reds are also strong, winning their last four, however Espírito Santo's have only recorded a win against the league leaders Liverpool when facing teams in the top seven away from home.
With both sides thriving in the race for Europe, an open and entertaining fixture looks set to be on the cards with the Cherries hoping for a repeat of the Championship meeting in 2022 that saw Bournemouth promoted back to the top-flight.
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Unstopppable Antoine
Antoine Semenyo, one of Bournemouth's most exciting players this season and one of the Premier League's top entertainers.
The Ghanaian started the season on fire, scoring three times and assisting in the opening six games in the league. However, the winger slowed down, struggling from October until the end of December, scoring twice.
Upon Bournemouth's recent injury crisis, Semenyo has stepped up massively, regaining his old mojo, scoring twice and assisting three in his last five appearances.
Having joined from Bristol City in January 2022, Semenyo has become one of the Cherries' outstanding players under Iraola, terrorising defenders with his pace, dribbling and strength.
But this season has been the real breakout year, averaging per 90; 2.20 dribbles, 52.75 touches, 1.17 chances created, 3.96 shots, and 1.17 shots on target.
The Cherries attack seems to light up each time the Ghanaian gets on the ball; his direct and shoot-happy playing style, perfectly complimenting an Iraola system based upon creating chances out of high turnovers.
Alongside his physicals and dribbling success, Semenyo also offers the Bournemouth attack tricky two-footed ability and versatility on the wing that could give any defence a nightmare.
The Ghanaian can play on either wing, often operating on the right-hand side and despite being right-footed, cutting onto his left to shoot.
Forest's full-backs, Ola Aina and Neco Williams, have been a major part of their success this season but a test against Semenyo will provide a huge test at the weekend.
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Covering over the cracks with versatility
Bournemouth may be ten games unbeaten in the Premier League, however, when it comes to their squad, they have never been weaker, missing nine senior players due to injury.
Evanilson and Enes Ünal went down with injuries in the same week to leave Iraola's side without a striker, while Adam Smith, Julián Araujo and James Hill are all out, leaving the Cherries also without a right-back.
The side's injury woes have led to Iraola improvising with squad selection to get the best out of his current players available.
Without Evanilson and Ünal, Daniel Jebbison is the only remaining striker after being recalled from Watford but Dango Ouattara has been Iraola's preferred option.
The Burkina Faso international has been handed three starts down the middle, scoring a double against West Brom, being isolated at Chelsea, and impressing at St. James' Park.
Against Newcastle, Ouattara thrived and stated his claim of being more than capable as a striker. The 22-year-old recorded the game's most dribbles (five), one assist and a disallowed goal that demonstrated his ability in front of goal with a fine finish.
Additionally to Ouattara, Lewis Cook has also seemingly become Bournemouth right-back for the time being.
Following Hill's recent injury against Chelsea, the south coast side were without a right-back, meaning that Cook would have to shift into defence after being utilised there at times this season by his Spanish manager.
Cook was handed the tough test of guarding Newcastle's Anthony Gordon, but the central midfielder was fantastic, making four clearances, three recoveries, one interception and preventing Gordon from scoring in his tenth successive match.
Facing Forest now, the 2016 Championship Young Player of the Year will have to be comfortable out of position once again against the Reds' fast and clinical attack.
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Young central defensive battle
In attack, both Bournemouth and Forest have the players to potentially give any defence in the Premier League nightmares, but their backlines have been the foundations of their success.
Matz Sels and Forest lead the Premier League for clean sheet this season (nine), while Bournemouth have conceded the joint-fourth least goals in the league.
Players such as Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi have been crucial for the Cherries, compared to Nikola Milenković who has hit the ground running at the City Ground.
However, two young defenders have been the pick of the bunch for the sides as Murillo and Dean Huijsen will line up in what will be an interesting central defensive battle.
Firstly, Murillo made the move to Nottinghamshire in 2023 from Corinthians and the Brazilian has not looked back since, making 57 appearances in red and white.
The Brazilian has been a dependable rock at the back this season, averaging; 74.3% of tackles won, 60% of aerial duels won, and 3.61 recoveries per 90.
Being a modern-day ball-playing defender, Murillo is also fantastic on the other side of the game, having a dribble success of 81.0%, and a pass accuracy of 79.3%.
On the other side of things, Dean Huijsen has been outstanding for Bournemouth after joining in the summer from Juventus.
The Cherries starlet has been rewarded with a run in the side after a long-term injury to Marcos Senesi and the Spaniard has been an instant success, gaining interest from teams such as Real Madrid and Chelsea.
In 16 appearances - 11 of those being starts - Huijsen has recorded two goals, 84.9% pass accuracy, 81.0% tackle success, 58.8% and four clean sheets, while also sitting in the above 96% of Premier League centre-backs for chances created and defensive actions.
The 19-year-old impressed yet again at the weekend, keeping a deadly Alexander Isak to just one blocked shot, and now playing a 14-goal-scoring Chris Wood, Huijsen will have to be at his best again.
