Bournemouth face Sunderland at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday in a key Premier League encounter for two sides near the foot of the table. The Cherries, 18th with just three points from six games, are looking to build on the confidence of a 3-0 Europa League win over Sturm Graz. Their league record shows no wins, three draws and three losses, leaving them 15 points behind the leaders Manchester City.

Justin Kluivert is available for selection after a substitute appearance in that European victory. His return offers a boost, but manager Marco Rose must plan without several important players. Alex Scott, Eli Junior Kroupi, Veljko Milosavljevic and Julián Araujo are all ruled out through injury.

Recent form and context

Bournemouth's season has been a mix of European promise and domestic struggle. Their recent form shows two wins, one draw and two losses from the last five outings. The emphatic 3-0 win over Sturm Graz, with goals from Evanilson, Rayan and Álvaro Rodríguez, provided a welcome lift after a heavy 5-1 defeat at Chelsea. The team has scored seven goals and conceded 13 in the league this season.

Sunderland arrive having also won in Europe, beating Torreense 2-1, but they sit just one place and one point above Bournemouth in 17th. They have scored in four consecutive away matches but have also conceded in their last three games.

Head-to-head and venue

History favours the visitors at the Vitality Stadium. Sunderland have won four of the last six meetings at this ground, with Bournemouth managing just one victory in that period. The overall head-to-head record across 12 meetings also leans towards Sunderland, who have six wins to Bournemouth's two. The most recent clash ended in a 1-1 draw.

With both teams desperate for points, the match represents a significant opportunity. Bournemouth's top scorer this season is Marcus Tavernier with three goals, and his influence could be key. The Cherries' league position of 18th, with a goal difference of minus six, shows the importance of turning their solid European performances into domestic results. The full standings show the tight nature of the bottom half. The next fixture against Sunderland, who are 17th, takes place on Sunday 18 October.

The match kicks off at 14:00 BST on Sunday as part of Match Day seven.