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Tavernier: Bournemouth must take things one game at a time in top-four chase

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1 daysFootball

Marcus Tavernier says neither he nor his Bournemouth team-mates will get ahead of themselves in their pursuit of a Champions League spot.

The winger scored the Cherries' third goal in their 3-1 victory over Southampton last weekend, which left them in fifth place and one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City.

They will overtake City with a victory over Wolves on Saturday, albeit only temporarily, with Pep Guardiola's side not facing Liverpool until Sunday.

But despite their strong position, Tavernier suggested that complacency will not be a problem among the squad.

"You probably get these answers all the time, but we take each game at a time," he said. "But we do see the table, and we do see what's at stake.

"But we can't get too ahead of ourselves. We know that if you do that, things can turn the other way really quickly. So, we just have to focus on ourselves and come up with good points each week."

Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira, meanwhile, will be looking for more of the same from his side, after their improved second-half performance in their 2-1 defeat to Liverpool.

Despite going two goals down in the first half, Wolves put in a creditable display after the break at Anfield, scored a goal and were much more effective at pressing. That is something Pereira wants his side to repeat going forward.

"Even the best players in the world - if you press them, they make mistakes," he said. 

"This is what we need to do in the future - not in one half, but in two halves. Take the risks, play with courage and in our way of playing, and then I don't care about the result.

"I don't care about the team on the other side - if it is Liverpool or Chelsea - I just focus on my team."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Bournemouth – Dango Outtara

Ouattara has been involved in nine goals in his last 11 Premier League games (six goals, three assists), as many as in his first 60 appearances in the competition (three goals, six assists).

Outtara has netted four times in his last three league appearances, including a hat-trick in Bournemouth's 5-0 home win over Nottingham Forest.

Wolves – Matheus Cunha

Cunha has scored 17 of his 26 Premier League goals in away games (65.4%); among players with as many or more goals in the competition than the Brazilian, only Marcus Bent (67.5%) has scored a higher proportion on the road.

He is the only Wolves player this season to have scored more than seven league goals (12), and has netted six in his last 10 appearances in all competitions.

MATCH PREDICTION: BOURNEMOUTH WIN

This is Wolves' fourth consecutive Premier League away game against a side starting the day in the top six of the table, losing each of the other three. In fact, Wolves have won just one of their last 28 on the road against sides in the top six (drawn three, lost 24).

Bournemouth have won each of their last three meetings with Wolves and come into this having won six of their last eight matches in all competitions.

Only Liverpool and Man City have had more shots and shots on target than Bournemouth in the Premier League this season (403 shots, 147 on target), while only Liverpool and Chelsea have a higher xG than the Cherries (47.8).

Their rate of 16.1 shots, 5.9 shots on target, 1.9 xG and 1.8 goals per game are all the Cherries' highest in any of their eight seasons in the top-flight.

Wolves, meanwhile, have conceded 54 goals from an xGA (expected goals against) figure of 41.6 in the Premier League this term, the biggest difference between xG against and actual goals conceded (-12.4).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Bournemouth – 56.9%

Draw – 21.7%

Wolves – 21.4%