Bournemouth vs Sunderland Picks and Predictions for Sunday October 18 2026
Sunderland heads down to Bournemouth on Sunday, October 18, 2026, for a Premier League match at Vitality Stadium. Kickoff is at 9:00 AM ET. Bournemouth just got hammered 5-1 by Chelsea, while Sunderland lost 2-0 to Brighton. Bournemouth is around +101 on the three-way moneyline, Sunderland is +265, and the draw is +258. The total is 2.5 goals. I’m taking Bournemouth, although I wouldn’t blame anybody for asking why. The Cherries haven’t won a league match yet. But Sunderland has been pretty miserable lately, too. Somebody has to start playing better football. I think Bournemouth has a decent chance at home, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a few goals.
Bournemouth Need To Start Winning Some Matches
Bournemouth is 0-3-3 through six league matches. Three points. That’s not exactly what supporters were hoping for. Last Saturday’s trip to Chelsea was a disaster. They lost 5-1, and it could’ve been worse. Chelsea scored early, Bournemouth got one back in the second half, and then the Blues kept coming. Before that, Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0, and the Cherries drew 2-2 with Brentford. They’ve had chances to win games. They just haven’t finished the job. Marco Rose has some work to do. And now Sunderland comes to town with its own problems. If Bournemouth can’t get a win here, when’s it going to happen?
The Cherries have scored seven goals and allowed 13. That’s 1.17 scored and 2.17 conceded per match. Not good. Bournemouth is taking about 12 shots a game, so it’s not like the attack has completely disappeared. But the finishing hasn’t been there, and the defense keeps making mistakes. Chelsea didn’t have much trouble finding space. Sunderland has scored only six league goals, which should make things a little easier. Should. But Bournemouth has been giving up goals to just about everybody. The last thing Rose needs is another match where his team scores once and spends the rest of the afternoon chasing the other side.
Marcus Tavernier has three league goals. That’s almost half the team’s total. He’s been their best attacking option, and Evanilson has chipped in with three assists. Bournemouth needs both of them involved Sunday. The injuries aren’t helping. Alex Scott is out with a thigh problem, while Eli Kroupi, Julian Araujo, Amine Adli and Justin Kluivert are also unavailable. That’s a lot of missing help. Tavernier can’t do everything himself. And with Sunderland likely to sit back at times, Bournemouth needs somebody who can find a pass through a crowded defense. I’m expecting Evanilson to get his chances. Whether he takes them is another question.
Sign Up Get $30 Premium Picks Credit + Exclusive Offers
Subscribe Now
Sunderland Have Their Own Mess To Sort Out
Sunderland is 1-1-4 and sitting on four points. The Black Cats have lost three straight league matches, and the latest one wasn’t pretty. Brighton went to the Stadium of Light and won 2-0, even after going down to ten men. Ten men! Sunderland still couldn’t score. Before that, Manchester City beat them 5-3, and Arsenal won 2-0. Three losses, ten goals conceded, and not much to celebrate. Régis Le Bris needs something different from his attack. Sunderland also has a Europa League trip to Portugal on Thursday, so the players won’t exactly be arriving at Bournemouth with their feet up all week.
Sunderland has scored six goals and allowed 12 in six league matches. One scored, two conceded. You don’t need to spend all afternoon studying those numbers to see the problem. The Black Cats have managed one clean sheet, and they haven’t been creating enough chances lately. Brighton kept them quiet, Arsenal did the same, and Manchester City scored five. The defense has had a rough time against stronger opponents. Bournemouth isn’t Manchester City, obviously. But the Cherries have enough attacking talent to create trouble, especially if Sunderland is tired after Thursday’s European match. I think there’s room for Bournemouth to get going here.
Brian Brobbey leads Sunderland with three goals. That’s half their league total, and he’s out with a thigh injury. Not ideal. Granit Xhaka has been creating chances from midfield, while Enzo Le Fée gives them another option going forward. But somebody has to finish. Wilson Isidor could get more opportunities with Brobbey unavailable. Sunderland is also missing Romaine Mundle and Daniel Ballard, while Thomas Meunier and Habib Diarra have fitness concerns. That’s not a short injury list. And after traveling to Portugal, I’d be watching the starting lineup pretty closely. Le Bris needs to keep his side fresh, but he also needs points. Tough spot.
Bournemouth vs Sunderland Picks and Predictions
Moneyline Pick: Bournemouth +101
I’m taking Bournemouth at +101. Yeah, they’re winless. I know. But Sunderland has lost three straight and just failed to score against ten-man Brighton. Brobbey is out, and the Black Cats have another match Thursday before traveling south. That’s a lot going against them. Bournemouth has been bad defensively, and that’s the part that worries me. If Sunderland gets an early goal, the home crowd could get restless pretty quickly. But Tavernier has three goals, Evanilson has been creating chances, and Bournemouth should have enough of the ball to make something happen. At a little plus money, I’ll take the Cherries to finally get a league win.
Total Pick: Over 2.5 Goals (-121)
Give me Over 2.5 goals. Bournemouth has allowed 13 in six matches. Sunderland has given up 12. That’s 25 goals conceded between them. Come on. Neither defense has been convincing. Bournemouth just allowed five to Chelsea, and Sunderland gave up five to Manchester City a couple of games ago. Now, the worry is Sunderland’s attack. They’ve scored only six league goals, and Brobbey is injured. This could turn into a frustrating afternoon if Bournemouth can’t finish its chances either. But I think the Cherries get a couple at home, and I wouldn’t trust their defense to keep Sunderland off the scoreboard. Something like 2-1 Bournemouth sounds about right. I’ll take the over.
Final Picks: Bournemouth Moneyline +101 and Over 2.5 Goals (-121).
Disclaimer: This preview was prepared October 14, 2026. Betting odds, injuries and starting lineups may change before kickoff. Three-way moneyline and total bets are settled after 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
New Users – Get $350 in Bonus Bets when you wager $5 for 7 days
New DraftKings Customers: Bet $5, Get $200 + 3 Months of NBA League Pass!
