Swansea - Bournemouth, Picks and Tips
Bournemouth received a big boost with their stoppage-time equalizer against Fulham on Saturday, and they may have enough to overcome a Swansea side that has picked up steam in the last few months of the season. Scott Parker's side cannot afford any slip-ups as Nottingham Forest are battling for the second automatic spot, and this visit to the Swansea.com Stadium is fraught with danger. The Swans tend to dominate possession at home and have scored plenty of goals of late, but Bournemouth are superior to every opponent they have faced since their unbeaten run began. The Cherries will also travel knowing that they have won seven of their last ten meetings against Swansea and have kept seven straight clean sheets in those games. They have also won five of their last nine away games and have beaten most of the teams out of playoff contention during that period.
Swansea stretched their unbeaten run in the Championship to eight games on Saturday as they drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough, with Michael Obafemi's goal early in the second half securing a point for the Welsh side after Riley McGree had put his side ahead. The Swans have now drawn their last three games in England's second tier, against Barnsley, Reading and Middlesbrough, and a total of 60 points from 43 games has left them 14th in the table, nine points behind sixth-placed Sheffield United with three games remaining. At this point, Swansea can still mathematically qualify for the playoffs, but only a series of unbelievable circumstances will allow it, so the Welsh side are doomed to another season of Championship soccer. Russell Martin's side have struggled to show consistency at home this season, with 34 points from 21 games, and will host a Bournemouth side who have the second best away record in the Championship this season, with 38 points from 21 games.
Our recommendation tip for Swansea - Bournemouth: BOURNEMOUTH TO WIN @ 2.00