The FA Cup fourth round gets underway at the Vitality Stadium on Thursday night as Premier League side Bournemouth play host to Championship outfit Swansea City.
While the Cherries came from two goals down at half time to beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 in the third round earlier this month, the Swans secured a safe passage through to round four courtesy of a 2-0 home win over Morecambe.
Following their heroics at QPR to kick-start the New Year on a positive note, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola opted against taking his side abroad on a warm-weather training camp during a 15-day winter break, and instead gave his players a well-earned rest following a fine run of form in the final two months of 2023.
The Cherries entered Sunday's clash with Premier League leaders Liverpool in high spirits, but they crashed back down the earth after being thumped 4-0 by the Reds on home soil. Despite competing on level terms with Liverpool for much of the first half, two goals apiece from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota after the interval condemned Iraola's men to their second successive league defeat.
Bournemouth remain in a respectable 12th place in the top-flight standings, though, and sit nine points clear of the relegation zone, while they are only four points behind Newcastle United in 10th heading into the second half of the campaign.
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