AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Follow all the action from Vitality Stadium
Follow live coverage as AFC Bournemouth face Crystal Palace today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
The early bookings continue as Eze is next to pick up a yellow for a cynical pull back.
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
Kirkez tosses in a long throw from the left and the ball eventually comes back across to him. However, he looks for a give-and-go with Ouattara, yet it trickles through to the Palace defence.
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
On the contrary, Crystal Palace have lost their last three Boxing Day matches, all by a 3-0 scoreline. The Eagles haven’t lost four consecutive Boxing Day games since doing so between 1950 and 1953 in the Third Division South.
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
A stat as the early sparring continues... Bournemouth haven’t lost a home game on Boxing Day since 2003 (0-2 vs Plymouth in the third tier), winning five and drawing three since. They beat Fulham 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium last season.
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
Kluivert enters the book early. First, he pulls Chalobah's shirt. Then he hoofs the ball away. Why, we hear you ask? Not a clue, but he's out of the next game against Fulham. Maybe he has somewhere to be.
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
Eze shimmies away from Zabarnyi but can't slot in Mateta in the Bournemouth box.
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
A reminder, Bournemouth could go into the top four if things go their way today. What a statement, given their journey to the Premier League in the last ten years.
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
Eze takes the kick-off and we're off under way.
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
After the rest of the pre-match formalities, the respective captains' meeting with the officials see the toss go Palace's way and they'll kick us off this afternoon.
AFC Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
The starting players have finished their warm-ups and we're reaching fever pitch in Dorset. Thomas Bramall is the referee overseeing this post-Christmas entertainment. He's in for his third Premier League outing of the season. Last time out in the top flight, he took charge of Newcastle's 4-0 win over Leicester. Here's hoping this game will be equally goal-laden. He leads the players out onto the Vitality Stadium pitch.
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