The Premier League enters its second weekend of the 2025/26 campaign with Bournemouth hosting Wolves in what promises to be an intriguing battle between both sides aiming to establish early-season momentum.
Bournemouth come into the fixture looking to bounce back from a 4–2 defeat to Liverpool on opening day. Despite the result, Andoni Iraola’s side showed plenty of attacking intent, with Antoine Semenyo bagging a brace to underline his importance this season. Bournemouth’s style under Iraola remains high-energy, with relentless pressing and quick transitions into attack. However, questions linger at the back after losing key defenders Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, and Milos Kerkez over the summer. New recruit Adrien Truffert has arrived to fill the gap at left-back, but cohesion in the defensive line will take time to build. That could be an area Wolves look to exploit.
For the Cherries, the return of striker Evanilson could provide an added boost. The Brazilian forward, signed for a club-record fee in 2024, has battled with injuries but is expected to feature more prominently this season. Alongside Semenyo, Bournemouth will rely on his sharp movement and clinical finishing to convert chances. Their aggressive pressing game often leads to turnovers in the final third, which could create the spark needed in front of their home crowd.
Wolves, meanwhile, begin the season under the stewardship of Vítor Pereira, who steadied the ship last term after arriving mid-season. But Pereira faces a stern challenge this year following the departures of key names such as Matheus Cunha, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Nélson Semedo. Those exits have weakened Wolves in both creativity and defensive stability, leaving them in a transitional phase. New arrivals Jhon Arias from Fluminense and Fer López have been tasked with injecting fresh energy, though they may need time to adapt to the pace of the Premier League.
The Midlands club will likely set up with discipline and look to frustrate Bournemouth before hitting on the counter. Their success may depend on whether they can remain compact defensively and take advantage of Bournemouth’s unsettled backline. Pereira is expected to prioritize organisation over flair in these early weeks, especially away from home.
This clash feels finely balanced, but Bournemouth’s pressing intensity and attacking options look sharper at this stage of the season. If Semenyo continues his goalscoring form and the home crowd gets behind Iraola’s side, the Cherries could have the edge. Wolves will need resilience and efficiency to walk away with anything.
Prediction Bournemouth 2- Wolves 1
