A baptism of fire awaits Bournemouth upon their return to the rarefied air of the Premier League, and the pressure is on to at least avoid defeat in their opening game, given a formidable fixture list through much of this month.
Soon faced with trips to Manchester City and Liverpool, as well as a visit from Arsenal, Scott Parker’s side will hope to hit the ground running against Aston Villa, who they also played in the club’s first Premier League match some seven years ago.
However, despite last season’s relative success, many Cherries fans feel uneasy about a lack of signings this summer, and pundits are lining up to condemn them to relegation before a ball is even kicked in the 2022-23 campaign.
With few new faces forthcoming, Parker will rely on established regulars such as Jefferson Lerma, Lewis Cook, Philip Billing and captain Lloyd Kelly to excel at a higher level, while Dominic Solanke is expected to provide goals upon his top-flight comeback as a more experienced striker.
Last time around, Solanke managed only three after joining from Liverpool amid much fanfare, but the former England international has since racked up 44 goals in two Championship seasons.
Meanwhile Bournemouth’s supporting cast will feature the returning David Brooksand Irish goalkeeper Mark Travers, both of whom could play a major role in attempts to keep the South Coast club afloat next May.
The ambitions of Steven Gerrard have been largely met by the Villans’ ownership this summer, with Diego Carlos and Boubacar Kamara the most eye-catching arrivals, alongside the permanent signing of Philippe Coutinho.
Much of their summer business was done early, including a move for Blackpool boss Neil Critchley, who joins as Gerrard’s assistant following Michael Beale’s departure.
Links >> Stream 1 HD Stream 2 HD Stream 3 HD Stream 4 HD
After a successful pre-season – featuring four wins and a draw – Villa also named a new captain to succeed previous incumbent Tyrone Mings, and midfield dynamo John McGinn will wear the armband this weekend and beyond.
Last term’s 14th-placed finish in the league, allied to all-too-familiar early exits in the cups, fell far below expectations at Villa Park, amid talk of a challenge for
Europe at the season’s outset – having been given the opportunity to mould his squad over several months, this time, Gerrard’s first full campaign must produce results.
With that in mind, Villa have been given a less than forbidding start: after the trip to Bournemouth, they face Everton, Crystal Palace and West Ham United.
