Wednesday 22nd April, 8:00pm | Dean Court
Leeds United arrive on the south coast on the back of arguably their finest week in the Premier League era. Back-to-back wins over Manchester United at Old Trafford, their first top-flight victory there since 1981, and a 3-0 dismantling of Wolves at Elland Road have transformed the mood around the club. Eight points now separate Leeds from the relegation zone with five games to play, and the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday sits tantalisingly close. Against all of that momentum, Farke's side now face perhaps the sternest remaining test of the league campaign, away to the most in-form team in the division.
Bournemouth come into this fixture after a remarkable run that has taken them to 13 Premier League games without defeat, including back-to-back away wins against Arsenal and Newcastle United. Andoni Iraola's side sit eighth on 48 points, level with Brentford and Chelsea in the European places, and the prospect of a first-ever European qualification is very much alive. There is also a bittersweet edge to proceedings at the Vitality: Iraola has confirmed he will leave at the end of the campaign, with Marco Rose already announced as his successor. Far from a lame duck atmosphere, it feels more like a manager and his squad determined to send him off in the manner his work deserves.
On team news, Bournemouth will be without Justin Kluivert, who has been sidelined since January with a knee injury, though Lewis Cook and Julio Soler are edging back from thigh problems. Iraola is likely to name an unchanged side given the short turnaround from Saturday. For Leeds, Anton Stach remains out with the ankle injury he sustained in the FA Cup win over West Ham, but Joe Rodon has recovered and Daniel James has returned to team training. The bigger question is selection strategy. Farke hinted that subtle rotation is possible with Wembley in mind.
The head-to-head history favours Leeds considerably, but Premier League precedent tells a different story. Leeds have lost just two of their 15 league meetings with Bournemouth across all divisions, but one of those defeats came in their only previous top-flight away fixture at the Vitality. The reverse fixture at Elland Road this season ended 2-2, with Kroupi's late equaliser denying Leeds what would have felt like a deserved three points. Farke, to his credit, has never lost a Premier League game against Bournemouth in three previous Premier League meetings, winning one and drawing two. That record will be tested to its limit on Wednesday.
The tactical battle shapes up as a fascinating one. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been in the form of his life this season, with 11 Premier League goals underlining just how important he has become to everything Leeds do going forward. His movement and ability to hold the line will be crucial against a Bournemouth defence that is well-drilled and hard to break down. Alongside him, Noah Okafor has been in sensational form since returning from injury, scoring five goals in his last five games, and if Farke trusts him to start here rather than preserving him for Wembley, that front two could cause Bournemouth real problems. In midfield, keeping Ao Tanaka disciplined and protecting the backline will be key, with Iraola's wide players expert at exploiting space in behind and building overloads out wide. Get that right and Leeds have the platform to be dangerous on the counter.
This is a game where a point would feel like a solid return, given the context of where Leeds were just a month ago and what lies ahead on Sunday. But this Leeds side has shown it no longer settles for acceptable. The Whites have lost just once in their last 12 away matches, a record that speaks to the defensive resilience Farke has built on the road. Bournemouth are deserved favourites and will be driven by their own desperate ambitions. But Leeds, organised, confident and with points already banked, are more than capable of spoiling the party.
Well Done DF 
