Prediction Crystal Palace vs AFC Bournemouth 2025/2026 – Betting Tips for the Premier League on 18/10/2025

A London evening at Selhurst Park promises sparks as Palace host Bournemouth

Crystal Palace return to Selhurst Park for round 8 of the Premier League with momentum that has been hard-earned. The Eagles sit sixth in the early-season table with 12 points from seven matches, a record built on three wins and an unusually high number of draws. Bournemouth arrive in good nick as well, occupying fourth with 14 points and four wins from seven. The fixture on 18 October feels finely balanced on paper: bookmakers give Palace the edge at 2.18 while Bournemouth are available at 3.25 and the draw sits at 3.30. That slight home lean reflects more than just Selhurst Park’s atmosphere — it reflects Palace’s resilience and slight defensive stinginess across the opening weeks.

Form and recent chapters

Crystal Palace’s recent sequence has been notable for tight affairs and decisive moments. Palace have picked up wins against Liverpool and West Ham and only one loss in their last spells, but they’ve also shared the spoils three times. Their most recent outing ended in a narrow defeat away to Everton on 5 October; Daniel Muñoz earned praise as Palace’s best player that day despite the result. Bournemouth have been lively in attack, registering a convincing 3-1 win over Fulham on 3 October where Antoine Semenyo starred. The Cherries’ results show a team capable of hitting fast: wins against Brighton and Tottenham earlier in the campaign underline that threat.

Numbers that matter

Dig into the underlying data and the contrast sharpens. Bournemouth lead Palace in attacking volume — more total shots (91 to 88), a significantly higher average of overall attacks (105.14 to 76.71) and dangerous attacks (52.57 to 35.71), plus a larger corners average. Those metrics hint at Bournemouth’s ability to create sustained pressure. Yet Palace’s defensive output at home has been effective enough: Palace have conceded just two goals at home compared with Bournemouth’s six conceded away. Both sides boast three clean sheets apiece so far, and head-to-head recent memory is a goalless stalemate in April. Both teams also show similar tendencies for goals; BTTS sits at 50% for each and over 2.5 goals has occurred in roughly 57% of their matches — indicators that this could swing either way depending on tempo.

How the match might unfold

Expect Bournemouth to press and probe early, hunting space with a higher volume of entries into the danger areas. Palace will likely be compact and look to counter from structured transitions, using Selhurst’s familiar contours and a home crowd to disrupt Bournemouth’s rhythm. Jarred Gillett will be the referee, and his control of the game could be important in managing the intensity when both teams look to force openings. Tactical conservatism mixed with sudden attacking bursts feels like the script: a close contest that could be decided by a single moment of quality or a set-piece.

Betting suggestion: 1X2 market — Crystal Palace to win. The bookmakers give Palace the clearest probability edge and Palace’s home defensive record (conceding only two at Selhurst) combined with Bournemouth’s vulnerability away from home tilts the balance. Choose Crystal Palace (Home) as the preferred single-market pick based on home advantage, recent head-to-head containment and the marginally higher implied probability from the market.