The hosts' rotation gives the underdogs a chance: Bournemouth vs Lincoln City prediction
The third-round EFL Cup match between Bournemouth and Lincoln City will take place on 8 September at the Vitality Stadium. The hosts are still without a win this season, while the visitors head into the game on a four-match unbeaten run.
Bournemouth: winless and with Europe on their minds
Marco Rose's side began the season with a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City before drawing 1-1 with Everton and 2-2 with Newcastle. Bournemouth opened the scoring in all three Premier League matches but allowed their opponents to come back each time.
Another factor will be the upcoming Europa League match against Real Sociedad, so the coaching staff are almost certain to rotate the squad. That could affect the team's cohesion, particularly in defence.
Lincoln City: four matches unbeaten
Lincoln have already come through two rounds of the EFL Cup, beating Derby County 2-1 and Blackpool 4-1 away from home. In their last four matches across all competitions, the team have recorded two wins and two draws.
Lincoln have looked particularly convincing on the road, winning three of their last four away matches. In the previous Championship round, they also managed to take a point from Southampton in a 1-1 draw.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Bournemouth are still without a win in three competitive matches this season.
- Lincoln are unbeaten in four consecutive matches.
- Both of Lincoln's previous EFL Cup matches ended in away victories.
Lincoln can take the tie to penalties: Bournemouth vs Lincoln City prediction
Bournemouth's expected rotation and their problems holding onto leads make this match far less one-sided than the teams' respective status might suggest. Lincoln are in good form and have already shown that they can perform successfully away from home in the cup.
The hosts still have more quality, but the visitors are quite capable of holding out in normal time. An evenly balanced match followed by a Bournemouth victory on penalties looks like the most likely scenario.
