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Danny Bloomer

Predicted Bournemouth XI for Leeds United as O'Neil mulls unchanged side despite Tottenham collapse

Bournemouth manager Gary O'Neil faces a number of selection dilemmas ahead of Saturday's clash with Leeds United. The Cherries enter the game at Elland Road on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, a game in which they produced an impressive performance for around an hour.

O'Neil's side found themselves 2-0 ahead with 40 minutes to play but a second half collapse saw them lose a third successive game, and the Bournemouth boss will have to decide whether the side that started has done enough to remain unchanged at Leeds. Despite his mistake for Spurs' second goal, Mark Travers is likely to start in goal with Neto still on the sidelines through injury.

O'Neil opted for a back three consisting of Adam Smith, Chris Mepham and Marcos Senesi last weekend, though Jack Stephens will be pushing to start. Smith is naturally a right full/wing back, which is where Marcus Tavernier lined up against Spurs, and if O'Neil decides he needs more balance down that side, that could be a possible change.

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Jordan Zemura started as the opposite wing back to Tavernier last weekend, but again, an alteration could come there with Ryan Fredericks another option on either side. Should a move to a back four come into O'Neil's thinking then Ryan Christie could come back into the starting XI.

That said, what a back three does allow is both Kieffer Moore and Dominic Solanke to partner each other up front, with the former scoring twice against Spurs and the latter a key component of the Bournemouth side. Here is how they could line-up.

Predicted XI (3-5-2): Travers; Smith, Mepham, Senesi; Tavernier, Cook, Lerma, Billing, Zemura; Moore, Solanke

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