Bournemouth will mark their return to the Premier League with a home game against Aston Villa at Dean Court on Saturday.
Both teams have undergone a lot of changes since their last meeting in 2020. Scott Parker is now in charge of Bournemouth, while Aston Villa are being managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
The hosts secured promotion to the top flight after finishing second in the EFL Championship, finishing only a couple of points behind leaders Fulham. They ended their campaign in the second tier on a high, going unbeaten in their last eight games, winning their last three.
Villa, meanwhile, finished 14th in the Premier League last season, failing to win their last four league games. They'll hope to fare better this season.
Bournemouth vs Aston Villa Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
Bournemouth vs Aston Villa Prediction
There are no major absentees for either team heading into the game, with David Brookes being one of three players set to miss out for the Cherries. Steven Gerrard, meanwhile, has an almost full-strength squad at his disposal and will hope to pick up Villa's first point at Dean Court since 2015.
While pre-season form is not a direct indicator of how a team may perform in competitive fixtures, Villa enjoyed a slightly better run in pre-season than Bournemouth. The Villans won two and played out a draw in three friendlies, while Bournemouth won one and lost three.
With both teams looking to make a winning start to their new campaign, this is expected to be a close game. Given the recent head-to-head results between the two teams, a hard-fought draw could ensue.
Prediction: Bournemouth 1-1 Aston Villa.
Bournemouth vs Aston Villa Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw.
Tip 2: Goals - Over/under 2.5 goals - Under 2.5.
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes.
Tip 4: Yellow cards - Over/under 2.5 yellow cards - Under 2.5.
Tip 5: Bournemouth to score first - Yes.