Preview: Bournemouth vs. Luton Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Bournemouth and Luton Town meet at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League on Wednesday after the fixture was abandoned and rearranged following Tom Lockyer's collapse on the field back in December.

The game was stopped shortly after the hour mark with the score level at 1-1, with the Premier League announcing a few days later it would be replayed in full.

Match preview

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There was a solemn feeling around the Vitality in mid-December when Lockyer received life-saving treatment on the pitch following a cardiac arrest before announcements rang around the stadium that play would be halted.

Luton had led through Elijah Adebayo's third-minute strike, but Dominic Solanke levelled for the Cherries just moments before Lockyer's collapse.

It was the second scare for the Luton captain that year, as Lockyer also suffered the same fate in the Championship playoff final against Coventry City.

Lockyer was quickly taken to hospital, where he made a full recovery, but he remains out of the game indefinitely, with it unclear whether he will play professionally again.

Ahead of this rearranged encounter, hosts Bournemouth can almost guarantee their Premier League status with a win.

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Three points would move Andoni Iraola's side level with Fulham in 12th on 35 points, and 14 clear of Luton in 18th.

The Cherries could have been even closer to that target had they been able to beat bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United at the weekend though, as a late fightback was required just to claim a point.

Despite going into the game as big favourites, Bournemouth found themselves 2-0 down heading into the final quarter of an hour, but after Dango Ouattara had pulled one back, Enes Unal's first goal in English football snatched a point in stoppage time.

It was a rotten day for top scorer Solanke though, as he fluffed his lines hopelessly from the penalty spot, slipping and sending the ball high over the crossbar, before having a goal disallowed in the second half for handball.

Failure to pick up maximum points means Bournemouth have still only won once in the league this year, away to Burnley last weekend, so three straight home games must be capitalised upon if they want to make absolutely sure of their survival.

Luton are up next, and Everton and Crystal Palace then both make the trip to the South Coast, before Bournemouth face the Hatters again at Kenilworth Road in early April.

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The hosts will look to continue two fine recent records, as they have taken 10 points from their last four midweek Premier League encounters, and they are yet to lose in eight games against a newly-promoted side since their own promotion in 2022.

Luton have been a side they have struggled against in recent times though, with just one win in the last six head-to-heads, while the Hatters have won on two of their last three trips to the Vitality.

Rob Edwards would have been much happier than his opposite number with their own respective injury-time equaliser at the weekend, as Luton stole a point from Crystal Palace thanks to Cauley Woodrow's header, which proved to be the last action of the match.

That draw ended a run of five successive defeats, but Luton are still winless in seven and have conceded an eye-watering 23 goals in that time, made even more surprising by the fact they were unbeaten in their first six games of 2024.

Nottingham Forest's poor run of form has kept them within reach in 17th though, and an away win here would lift Luton out of the bottom three on goal difference, before the two sides meet in a reduced Premier League schedule this weekend, with six games already postponed due to the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Team News

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All of Bournemouth's injuries currently concern defenders, as striker Solanke overcame a lingering issue to start again at the weekend.

Iraola has revealed Marcos Senesi will miss the international break with Argentina due to a hamstring injury, while Lloyd Kelly is still not ready for a return, so either Milos Kerkez or Ouattara will start at left-back.

Full-back pairing Max Aarons and Ryan Fredericks remain long-term absentees for the Cherries, while Marcus Tavernier could find his place on the wing under threat to Luis Sinisterra here.

Luton's injury list is as large as anybody's at the moment, with Edwards currently without as many as 10 first-team players.

Lockyer's collapse in the original fixture means he remains sidelined, along with fellow defenders Amari'i Bell and Mads Andersen.

Gabriel Osho returned from a brief absence on Saturday, but Teden Mengi was forced off midway through the second half and is a doubt for this one.

Despite closing in on a return, Adebayo is unlikely to be ready in time to feature here, while Albert Sambi Lokonga, Marvelous Nakamba and Jacob Brown all remain out injured for the foreseeable future.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:Neto; Smith, Mepham, Zabarnyi, Kerkez; Christie, Cook; Ouattara, Kluivert, Sinisterra; Solanke

Luton Town possible starting lineup:Kaminski; Hashioka, Burke, Osho; Kabore, Clark, Barkley, Doughty; Ogbene, Morris, Chong

We say: Bournemouth 1-1 Luton Town

The original clash was 1-1 at the time of abandonment, and it is tough to see past a similar scoreline here, with neither side enjoying much winning form of late.

Any result would put Luton in great shape ahead of their clash with Forest at the weekend, while at least maintaining the 11-point buffer on the Hatters will be Bournemouth's target here.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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