WITH three matches to go, Cherries still have a mathematical chance of qualifying for Europe.
It is an outside hope, but it is still possible, which in itself is remarkable given how the season started.
After nine matches, Cherries sat second from bottom of the pile, without a win.
They got off the mark in matchday 10, doubling their points tally with a battling victory over fellow strugglers Burnley.
Another big loss followed, at Manchester City, dropping Cherries back into the bottom three, before they embarked on astonishing seven-match unbeaten run.
After losing seven of their first 11 league matches, Cherries have been beaten in just six of the subsequent 24.
Sunday's win over Brighton has seen them storm up into the top half, currently sitting in 10th place on 48 points.
The lowest likely league position to achieve a European finish this season is seventh, currently occupied by Newcastle United, who are five points ahead of Cherries.
Cherries have three matches remaining, away at Arsenal and Chelsea, with a home game against Brentford in between.
Stellar six months
Perhaps the starkest evidence of Cherries’ impressive form over the past six months is the points accrued across the Premier League since November 1, 2023.
In 25 fixtures, Cherries have racked up 42 points, the fifth highest tally across the division.
Only the league’s current top four of Arsenal (56), Man City (55), Liverpool (52) and Aston Villa (45) have managed more in that time.
Winning the ball
A big part in achieving that has been Cherries getting to grips with Andoni Iraola’s style of play.
Evidenced again in Sunday’s 3-0 cruise past Brighton, Cherries are happy with the opposition having more of the ball than them, but will press up high to win it back.
In a stat shown on BBC’s Match of the Day 2, Iraola’s men sit fourth in the overall Premier League standings for ‘high turnovers’.
They have won possession 156 times close to the opposition’s goal this season, bettered only by title-chasing trio Man City (183), Liverpool (181) and Arsenal (157).
Set-piece prowess
Cherries notched another goal from a set-piece in victory over Brighton. Lewis Cook’s early corner was won by Enes Unal and fell kindly for Marcos Senesi to head home from close range.
It marks the 11th time Cherries have notched from a corner in the league this campaign, the most they’ve ever managed in a top-flight season. Only Arsenal (16) and Everton (12) have managed more among the Premier League’s 20 clubs.
Cherries face Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday (12.30pm).
Home fortress
Cherries are now six matches unbeaten at Vitality Stadium, with wins over Luton Town, Everton, Crystal Palace and Brighton, as well as draws against Sheffield United and Manchester United.
It matches the club’s longest home unbeaten Premier League run, which came in October 2018.
Since Cherries’ first home win of the season, against Burnley in October 2023, only Man City (0) and Liverpool (1) have lost fewer home matches than the two Iraola’s side have lost. Their only home league defeats in that time came against Man City and Liverpool.
But it has not been a campaign subsidised solely by home results. Cherries have picked up more points at home (27) than away (21), but their tally on the road places them eighth of all clubs across the league.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here