Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe has revealed that he’s hopeful he’ll get a double fitness boost ahead of his side’s meeting with Chelsea on Saturday.
Sitting just two points above the relegation zone with 11 games to go, the Cherries will be desperate to get a positive result this weekend to ease their fears.
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Meanwhile, Chelsea are scrapping for points as they try to hold on to fourth spot and qualify for the Champions League, and so there is a lot on the line for both sides in this encounter.
In turn, both managers will want to be at full strength or as close as possible, and in good news for Bournemouth and perhaps not so good news for Chelsea, Howe has suggested that both Nathan Ake and Jefferson Lerma could be available.
“Nathan has trained this week so, hopefully, should be okay providing there are no ill effects from his head injury,” he said in his pre-match press conference, as reported by Sky Sports.
“It’s a similar case with Jeff and he has come through a couple of days’ training.”
Given Ake has missed just six league games all season and Lerma has been absent for just five, the pair have been pivotal pieces in Howe’s starting XI this year and their influence and experience will no doubt be key in getting them out of trouble.
With that in mind, it remains to be seen if they get the green light to feature, as Chelsea’s task of coming away from Bournemouth with something to show for their efforts this weekend could be made much more difficult if they are both passed fit.