Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola makes honest claim ahead of his side’s fixture against Chelsea

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Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is currently preparing his team ahead of this weekend’s match against Chelsea.

The Premier League fixtures resume this weekend after the international break, with Bournemouth hosting Chelsea on Saturday night at the Vitality Stadium.

From the Blues perspective, it’s been an average start to the 2024/25 season. They’ve collected four points from three league matches so far as everyone adapts to life under new head coach Enzo Maresca.

There’s no doubt that Saturday’s opponents pose a huge threat. In fact, Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo has attempted 17 shots in three Premier League game weeks, which is more than any other player in the division.

• READ MORE: Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher predict the score for Bournemouth vs Chelsea this weekend

Andoni Iraola claim ahead of Bournemouth vs Chelsea

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has made an honest claim leading into the Chelsea fixture, suggesting it’ll be difficult for his side to pick up any points. It’s worth noting that the Cherries have five points after a really encouraging start to the new season, though.

When asked about Bournemouth’s unbeaten start in the Premier League, Iraola told Sky Sports: “For me, the demands of the competition are so high that even if you’re doing well, doing your job, and getting your results, now we play Chelsea and we play Liverpool, it’s very difficult to get points. You have to value every point that you get.”

Chelsea threats going forward

While Chelsea’s defence has been a bit suspect so far this year, they’re finding some success as an attacking force under Maresca.

Here is a look at the Blues’ top scorers across all competitions after five games this season:

There was certainly an over-reliance on Chelsea talisman Palmer last season to score the bulk of the team’s goals, netting 25 times across all competitions. Therefore, it’s great to see a real split in the opening weeks of this term.