WEST BROMWICH ALBION v BOURNEMOUTH
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 19th December 2015, 3:00pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

The game will be the 16th league and cup meeting between Albion and Bournemouth. The Baggies have won seven games and the Cherries' five.

The Hawthorns' clash will be the first ever meeting at Premier League level between the clubs.

Albion's last game on December 19 took place in 1998 when they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Tranmere Rovers in a League Division One fixture at The Hawthorns. The Baggies' last league win on this date came back in 1959 when goals from Derek Hogg, Ronnie Allen and David Burnside gave Gordon Clark's side a 3-2 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Bournemouth's last game on this date also came in 1998, Steve Fletcher scoring the only goal of the game as the Cherries beat Wrexham 1-0 in a League Division Two clash at the Racecourse Ground.

Both sides are unbeaten in four league games - Albion (W1, D3), Bournemouth (W2, D2).

Bournemouth have never won a competitive fixture at The Hawthorns.

Only Aston Villa (two) have won fewer points at home this season than Albion (eight).

Albion's last six games: Liverpool (A) 2-2; Tottenham Hotspur (H) 1-1; West Ham United (A) 1-1; Arsenal (H) 2-1; Manchester United (A) 0-2;  Leicester City (H) 2-3.

Bournemouth's last six games: Manchester United (H) 2-1; Chelsea (A) 1-0; Everton (H) 3-3; Swansea City (A) 2-2; Newcastle United (H) 0-1; Southampton (A) 0-2.

TEAM NEWS

Albion

The Baggies will be without Claudio Yacob who has returned to Argentina following a family bereavement - Jonny Evans is expected to deputise for him again in midfield. Benin international Stephane Sessegnon could return after missing last weekend's draw at Liverpool due to a hamstring injury.

Bournemouth

Joshua King is expected to be fit for the Cherries despite suffering a hamstring injury in last weekend's victory over Manchester United. Marc Pugh could also return following injury.

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 7/5, Bournemouth Win: 21/10, Draw: 21/10.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Rondon 5/1, Lambert 6/1, Berahino 13/2, Anichebe 13/2, McClean 9/1, Morrison 9/1, Gnabry 9/1, McManaman 10/1, Gardner 10/1, Brunt 14/1, Dawson 14/1, Fletcher 20/1, McAuley 25/1, Olson 33/1, Evans 33/1, Chester 33/1.

Bournemouth: Murray 13/2, King 13/2, Rantie 15/2, Kermorgant 15/2, Ritchie 8/1, Stanislas 9/1, Tomlin 9/1, Gosling 10/1, Arter 10/1, Pugh 11/1, Surman 20/1, O'Kane 25/1, Smith 33/1, Daniels 33/1, Cook 33/1.

No goalscorers: 8/1.

www.williamhill.com

REFEREE

Mike Dean (Wirral)

Dean has refereed the Baggies twice so far this season - the 2-0 defeat at Manchester United last month and the 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester City in August.

He refereed three Albion games last season - the 2-2 draw at Burnley in February, the 1-0 win at home to Aston Villa in December and the 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United in October.

The Wirral official has taken charge of one Bournemouth game so far this season - the 5-1 defeat at Manchester City in October.

Dean has issued 56 yellow cards and five red in the 16 games he has officiated so far this season.

A full run-down of Dean's history refereeing the Baggies can be found here

TICKET INFORMATION

A limited number of tickets remain on sale for the game priced at £27/£25 adults, £21/20 seniors (over-60s) and £16/£15 Under-21s & students. A 'Kids for a Quid' deal is available to Under-17s.

WEATHER FORECAST

Heavy rain, 13°C

FIXTURE HISTORY

The two clubs first met back in May 1940 in the Wartime League Cup, Albion winning the two-legged tie 5-2 on aggregate.

The first 'competitive' meeting of the sides came in the FA Cup in January 1955 when the Baggies, as holders, travelled to Dean Court and returned to the Midlands with a 1-0 win courtesy of a goal from Welsh international Stuart Williams.

Two friendly games followed in 1967 (1-0) and 1973 (0-1) before the first league meetings between the clubs took place in 1987, Albion winning the first clash 3-0 at The Hawthorns with goals from Tony Morley (2) and Carlton Palmer. The Cherries gained revenge in the return game at Dean Court three months later with a 3-2 win.

The last league meeting took place in January 1993 when the Baggies won 1-0 at Bournemouth thanks to a goal from the on-loan David Speedie. Current Baggies' boss Tony Pulis was Bournemouth's manager at the time.

Since that last league clash the the two clubs have met four times in cup action the first of which came in 1999 in an FA Cup 3rd round tie at Dean Court when a goal from current Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe gave the hosts a 1-0 win.

Three League Cup ties have followed with the Baggies winning twice - 1-0 at The Hawthorns in 2007 and 4-1 at Dean Court in 2011. Bournemouth won the last of the ties with a 2-1 home victory in October 2014.

The Baggies have won four out of the last six meetings of the clubs.

Harry Jones and Don Goodman both scored three goals against the Cherries whilst Bournemouth's leading goalscorer against Albion is Luther Blissett with two goals.

A full fixture history between the two teams can be found here

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday 28 October 2014 - Bournemouth 2-1 Albion - Capital One Cup - Goldsands Stadium
Tuesday 23 August 2011 - Bournemouth 1-4 Albion - Carling Cup - Dean Court
Tuesday 14 August 2007 - Albion 1-0 Bournemouth - Carling Cup - The Hawthorns
Saturday 9 December 1989 - Albion 2-2 Bournemouth - Second Division - The Hawthorns
Saturday 8 January 1955 - Bournemouth 0-1 Albion - FA Cup - Dean Court

LAST LEAGUE MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 2-1 Bournemouth
League Division Two
Saturday 29 August 1992, 3:00pm

Albion: Naylor, Fereday, Lilwall, Bradley (Raven), Strodder, Shakespeare, Hackett (Ampadu), Hamilton, Taylor, Garner, Robson.

Goalscorers: Taylor 38, Shakespeare 83 (pen)

Bournemouth: Bartram, Pennock, Morrell, Watson, Morris, Mean (Cooke), O'Driscoll, Regis, Fletcher, McGorry, Rowland.

Goalscorer: Regis 69

Attendance: 12,563

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Baggies' boss Tony Pulis managed Bournemouth between 1992 and 1994 having earlier spent two spells as a player at Dean Court.

Albion's assistant head coach Mark O'Connor also had two spells as a Bournemouth player - making over 200 appearances for the club.

Ryan Allsop started his career in Albion's academy before being released by the Baggies in the summer of 2011. After spells at Millwall and Leyton Orient, Allsop joined the Cherries in January 2013.

PAST CONNECTIONS

Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Kenny Allen, Vince Bartram, Luther Blissett, Meynell Burgin, Lee Camp, Warren Cummings, Reg Cutler, Billy Elliott, Wayne Fereday, Josh Gowling, Billy Gripton, Carl Heggs, Peter Hucker, Jack Lewis, Billy Lunn, Andy Petterson, Liam Ridgewell, Graham Roberts, Jim Singleton, Andrew Smith, David Smith, John Thomas and John Turner.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS BOURNEMOUTH