Andoni Iraola is enthusiastic about Bournemouth's prospects in the FA Cup, but the Premier League is the focus of the Cherries this weekend when they visit Bottom Club Southampton.
Bournemouth defeated Everton 2-0 in what turned out to be the last FA Cup match in Goodison Park on Saturday and sealed their place in the last 16.
They will be confronted in three weeks in a quarter-final place, and they will also fly high in the Premier League table, sitting seventh, only three points drift from the top four.
Some have tipped Bournemouth to go all the way in the cup, but Iraola takes things one game at the same time.
“This is not about looking at a point. You have to earn the right to play another game, it is what we have won,” Iraola said after their cup victory.
“These matches are not just about how you play. It's about soul, it's about faith, it's about the willingness to sacrifice what is needed to go to the next round.
“I trust that we have this, even in a young team. I think they add experience. We have players who are very young, but they have been there before, they have played a good amount of games.
“It's not like they are immature. I think they add firmness to their game.”
On another week pic.twitter.com/9j8u2ecxdq
– AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) 10 February 2025
In contrast to Bournemouth, Southampton was dumped out of the cup in the fourth round and lost 1-0 to championship promotion hopeful Burnley.
Head coach Ivan Juric thought the result was hard and said: “I was frustrated by the result. I think we really did a good performance.
“We had many moments, many opportunities, many free kicks near their environment and we couldn't score.
“You have to work. I think we have a very young team in attack, we can do it better and we can improve.”
Players to watch
Southampton – Paul Onuachu
After not scoring in his first 22 Premier League matches, Onuachu scored two goals in his last three games. Against the city of Ipswich, in their last Premier League match, he participated in 27 Aerial Duels (winning 16), the most by a player in a Premier League match since the early 2020-21.
In the meantime, Bournemouth has the second lowest Feer game success rate in the competition this season (343/744-46.1%).
Bournemouth – Justin Kluivert
Only Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak have scored more Premier League goals this season than Kluisivert (nine).
The attacker could be the first Bournemouth player who scores in four consecutive appearances in the competition, was allowed to agree with it.
Match forecast – Bournemouth
After beating Ipswich with 2-1 previous time-out, Southampton wants to win consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since February 2022.
However, they have lost each of their last six Home League matches, with 22 goals at the time.
In the meantime, Bournemouth enjoys their longest unbeaten run on the road in the Premier League, won four and moved two of their last six away.
Southampton has lost only two of their first 11 Premier League meetings with Bournemouth (five wins) (five wins), and have now lost both of their last two against the cherries.
After their 3-1 victory in the Vitality Stadium in September, Bournemouth wants to complete the competition for the first time about Southampton, in what the 15th different campaign is in which they met. They are strong favorites to do this.
Opta wins probability
Southampton – 19.9%
Bournemouth – 57.9%
Tick - 22.2%
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