AFC Bournemouth will look to carry the confidence from their Europa League victory over Sturm Graz into Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Sunderland at Dean Court. The Cherries have gone eight league matches without a win and sit 18th with three points, leaving manager Marco Rose under growing pressure.

Bournemouth’s latest league match ended in a 5-1 defeat by Chelsea, with two goals conceded inside the opening three minutes. The result highlighted the defensive problems that have undermined their campaign and left Rose searching for greater stability from his side.

Sunderland have also experienced an uneven run, going three Premier League matches without a win. However, their recent struggles have been less severe than Bournemouth’s, and the visitors will hope to exploit any uncertainty in the home defence.

The Europa League win over Sturm Graz offered Bournemouth a rare positive moment. Rose must now ensure that the performance’s confidence and discipline carry over into domestic competition, where the Cherries have struggled to turn promising displays into results.

The fixture is particularly important given Bournemouth’s demanding schedule. The Cherries are due to face Milan in Europe before meeting Manchester United and Aston Villa in the Premier League. A home victory against Sunderland would provide valuable points and could restore belief before that difficult run.

For Sunderland, the task will be to remain organised and take advantage of any defensive errors. Bournemouth, meanwhile, need to reproduce the control and attacking efficiency they showed against Sturm Graz if they are to end their winless league run.

A victory would not resolve all of Bournemouth’s problems, but it could offer Rose and his players the immediate lift they need. Their European result showed what the team can produce at its best; the challenge now is to find the consistency required in the Premier League.