Tottenham Hotspur head to the south coast hoping for a much-needed win against a Bournemouth side that has been winless for two months.
Thomas Frank’s Tottenham squandered a good opportunity to move up to 7th in the Premier League table at the weekend, with an awful second-half display meaning they had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Sunderland.
That result left them with just 2 wins from their last 11 league games, a run that has only intensified the scrutiny on Frank, particularly with two other Premier League managers losing their jobs this week and the spotlight naturally shifting towards north London.
Bournemouth’s situation is not much brighter on paper, but the context matters. Andoni Iraola’s side have not tasted victory since October, a run that has seen them slide to 15th, yet the performances have often deserved more.
Their most recent 3-2 defeat to Arsenal was perhaps the clearest example, as Bournemouth pushed the league leaders harder than most teams have managed this season, leaving with nothing despite arguably being the better side for long spells.
What time does Bournemouth vs Tottenham Hotspur kick off?
- Location: Dorset, England
- Stadium: Vitality Stadium
- Date: Wednesday, 7 January 2026
- Kick-off time: 7:30pm BST
- Referee: Darren England
- VAR: Jarred Gillett
Bournemouth vs Tottenham Hotspur: head-to-head record
It was actually Bournemouth who handed Tottenham their first defeat of the season when the sides met back in matchweek three, as the Cherries ran out comfortable 1-0 winners in a performance that’s up there alongside some of Spurs’ worst displays under Thomas Frank.
That result was all the more surprising given Frank had never previously lost to Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth during his time at Brentford, although Spurs’ recent history against the Cherries has been somewhat patchy.
Since Bournemouth returned to the Premier League in 2022, they have picked up 7 points from 6 matches against Spurs, which is more than they managed in their first ten meetings between 2015 and 2020 combined.
Tottenham team news
Tottenham suffered a significant blow in the draw against Sunderland, with Mohammed Kudus forced off by a thigh injury, keeping him out for an unspecified period while he undergoes further scans.
Xavi Simons, however, returns after completing a three-game suspension and is expected to go straight back into the starting XI.
Speaking on Destiny Udogie, Frank revealed that the Italian full-back has returned to training and is progressing well, although he stopped short of confirming whether he is fully fit to feature. Dominic Solanke has also begun training again, but the Tottenham boss admitted it will take time before the striker is back at full sharpness.
Other absentees include the injured James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, while Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma remain unavailable due to AFCON commitments.
Bournemouth team news
Bournemouth will be without Veljko Milosavljevic, Tyler Adams and Ben Doak for this one, while Ryan Christie remains a doubt as he continues to be assessed ahead of kick-off.
Predicted line-ups
Tottenham: Vicario; Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies; Bentancur, Simons, Bergvall; Odobert, Kolo Muani, Tel
Bournemouth: Petrovic, Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert, Tavernier, Kluivert, Scott, Brooks, Evanilson, Semenyo
Our prediction
For Tottenham, Mathys Tel is the one to watch once again after impressing against Sunderland when handed a rare start, and he will be keen to make that left-wing role his own, particularly with Spurs expected to push for a new wide option in the January window.
His willingness to take shots early rather than overplay situations caught the eye at the weekend, something that could prove valuable against a Bournemouth defence that has looked far too open at times this season.
From the Bournemouth perspective, Antoine Semenyo is worth keeping a close eye on, as this could be his final appearance for the Cherries ahead of a scheduled medical with Manchester City later in the week. With a home crowd behind him, the Ghanaian will be desperate to sign off in style.
With Tottenham hovering around the lower reaches of mid-table, this is exactly the type of fixture Frank’s side cannot afford to let slip if they are serious about climbing the table.
Prediction: Bournemouth 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur