Crystal Palace vs Bournemouth Prediction for 18 October 2025 - Football

🔊 Matchday 8 of the Premier League brings us a clash between two sides with minimal losses at the start of the season. Crystal Palace and Bournemouth have each suffered just one defeat, placing them alongside Arsenal as leaders in this regard. Consequently, their positions in the league table are impressive: Bournemouth sit fourth, while Crystal Palace are sixth. The upcoming game is a battle for a potential top-three spot in the EPL. In our prediction, we'll analyze which team stands a better chance of breaking into the title race.

Head-to-Head

📊 Bournemouth are in their fourth consecutive Premier League season since being promoted in 2022. This marks their second-longest stint in the English top flight, with the previous run spanning from 2015 to 2020. Since the 2022/23 season, the teams have faced each other six times, with an evenly matched record: two wins apiece and two draws. None of these matches featured more than two goals, and the last two ended in goalless draws.

Crystal Palace Team Overview

Crystal Palace, up until the last round of the Premier League, stood alongside Juventus, Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich as one of the few European teams unbeaten this season. Their record was blemished by a trip to Everton (1-2). The match was evenly contested, as reflected in the stats: 50% possession each and 15 shots for the visitors against 14 for Everton. The Eagles led from the 37th to the 76th minute, but a penalty leveled the score, and in stoppage time, Jack Grealish secured the win for the Toffees. This setback dropped Oliver Glasner's side from third to sixth in the table, but the top is tightly packed—just two points separate them from their previous spot.

Full-back Daniel Muñoz has been in excellent form recently, scoring in two consecutive matches for Crystal Palace. The Londoners' defense has been impressive overall, contributing to six of the Eagles' nine league goals (3 goals + 3 assists). Assists from defenders to Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaïla Sarr have resulted in a combined total of five goals.

Bournemouth Team Overview

The Cherries have only faced defeat once in the Premier League, back in the opening round. Currently, Andoni Iraola's team boasts the longest unbeaten streak in the league, spanning six matches. During this period, Bournemouth have secured four victories and two draws, elevating them to fourth place in the standings. Their latest three points came from a hard-fought home win against Fulham (3-1). Despite the scoreline, it was a challenging match. The Cottagers opened the scoring in the 70th minute, but the hosts quickly turned the game around with a brilliant run and goal by Semenyo and a stunning strike from outside the box by Kluivert.

We continue to be impressed by the form Antoine Semenyo is showcasing. His brace and assist against Fulham earned him the man of the match accolade for the second time this season. In just seven league appearances, the forward has recorded six goals and three assists. Justin Kluivert finally unleashed his potential. Amid summer rumors of a potential move to Manchester United, the Dutchman struggled to find his rhythm this season, playing only 165 minutes across six appearances. However, his masterpiece against the Cottagers is likely to reinforce the coach's confidence in him.

Latest news

Crystal Palace

🎙 Jean-Philippe Mateta has been called up to the French national team for the first time during the recent international break. The 28-year-old Crystal Palace forward also marked the occasion with his debut goal. Mateta was emotional when discussing his first call-up to the national squad, sending a message to his critics: "They said I was crazy for thinking about the French national team when I'm not even playing for Crystal Palace, but I replied that it's my goal and I just need to play to show what I'm capable of."

❌ Chadi Riad missed almost the entire last season due to a cruciate ligament tear but seems to be on the mend. Oliver Glasner stated that the defender will be ready after the international break. This leaves only Cheick Doucouré in Crystal Palace's injury list.

Bournemouth

🔝 Antoine Semenyo's impressive performances at the start of the season have caught the attention of top clubs. Manchester United are interested in the forward, but Liverpool are considered the frontrunners as they seek a future replacement for Mohamed Salah. Amidst this, Bournemouth are looking to extend the player's contract, even though his current deal runs until 2030. The Cherries currently value him at £75 million, but a new agreement could significantly boost his transfer fee.

❌ Bournemouth's only player in the injury list is Enes Ünal. The Turkish forward tore his ACL earlier this year and missed the second half of last season. It was previously reported that he was expected to return by the end of October. However, recovery from such a severe injury can often be prolonged.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by Jarred Gillett, who has averaged four yellow cards per game over his last 20 matches. Head-to-head encounters between these teams often get quite heated. In their last six meetings, they've collectively averaged 4.5 yellow cards. Given the stakes of potentially securing third place, this upcoming clash promises to be intense. Our prediction: total yellow cards over 3.5.

⚽️ Goals Prediction

Oliver Glasner is dealing with a relatively thin bench, especially among forwards. Main strikers Mateta and Sarr have just returned from international duty. Yeremi Pino also featured twice for Spain recently. This coincides with the team's underwhelming goal tally in the Premier League—nine goals in seven matches. Moreover, they've failed to score in their last four consecutive games against Bournemouth. Considering the home advantage, we predict Crystal Palace total goals under 1.5.

🚩 Corner Prediction

The upcoming opponents are evenly matched in terms of football quality. With full-strength squads, the game is likely to be end-to-end without a dominant side in possession. However, Crystal Palace rank third from the bottom in the Premier League for corners earned, averaging 3.29 per game. Bournemouth, on the other hand, are in the top four with an average of 5.71 corners, and they perform even better away from home with 6.33 compared to 5.25 at home. Given these stats, a bet on Bournemouth total corners over 4.5 looks promising.

We are set to witness a clash between two evenly matched teams, separated by just two points in the table. The stakes are high as they battle for a potential third-place finish in the Premier League. Typically, such scenarios tend to compromise on entertainment value, and none of their last six head-to-head encounters have seen more than two goals scored. A draw (1-1) seems like a fair outcome here, but we suggest focusing on the scoring trends from their past meetings. Our editorial pick: total goals under 2.5.