It’s wild to think about, but here we are talking about Bournemouth as potential Premier League title contenders. Yep, you read that right. After a dream start to the 2025/26 campaign, Andoni Iraola’s side have been priced at 150/1 with bet365 to win the Premier League outright.
Now, that might sound like a long shot… but if football has taught us anything, it’s to never say never.
A Remarkable Start Under Iraola
The Cherries have been flying. After nine matches, Bournemouth sit second in the Premier League table with 18 points from 5 wins, 3 draws, and just 1 loss. That’s a 56% win rate, a stat that comfortably places them among the league’s best starters.
What’s even more impressive? They’ve done it despite losing key players like Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, and Illia Zabarnyi in the summer. Instead of struggling, Iraola’s squad looks sharper, more confident, and tactically disciplined.
They’ve scored 16 goals and conceded 11, holding a +5 goal difference. And at home? They’ve been rock solid – 4 wins and a draw from 5 games. No team has managed to beat them at the Vitality Stadium this season.
Could History Repeat Itself?
Football romantics will remember Leicester City’s fairytale 2015/16 season. After nine games, the Foxes had 16 points. Bournemouth? 18.
That’s right, they’re two points better off than Leicester were at the same stage of their historic title run.
Sure, the Premier League has evolved since then. Arsenal under Mikel Arteta look ruthless, Manchester City remain a machine, and Liverpool aren’t going away quietly. But Bournemouth’s consistency and lack of weaknesses in the opening months have caught everyone’s attention.
As the saying goes: “They couldn’t… could they?”
Crunching the Numbers
If you love numbers (and who doesn’t when it comes to football debates), here’s how Bournemouth stack up against past champions after nine games:
| Team / Season | Points | Goals For | Goals Against | Win Rate | Title Outcome |
| Bournemouth 2025/26 | 18 | 16 | 11 | 56% | TBD |
| Man City 2023/24 | 21 | 24 | 7 | 78% | Champions |
| Liverpool 2019/20 | 25 | 22 | 7 | 89% | Champions |
| Chelsea 2005/06 | 27 | 23 | 3 | 100% | Champions |
| Arsenal 2004/05 | 20 | 23 | 8 | 67% | Runners-up |
While Bournemouth don’t have the blistering pace of Chelsea’s 2005/06 or Liverpool’s 2019/20 campaigns, their tally keeps them in the same neighborhood as several legitimate title challengers.
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Attacking with Style, Defending with Grit
Under Iraola, Bournemouth’s football has become bold, structured, and efficient. They’ve averaged 1.78 goals per game and have only failed to score once this season, that’s remarkable consistency for a team outside the “big six.”
Their expected goals (xG) per match sits at 1.48, showing that they aren’t just getting lucky they’re creating genuine, high-quality chances.
Defensively, they’ve tightened up too, conceding just 1.22 goals per game and keeping four clean sheets. It’s that combination of attacking intent and defensive organisation that has the south-coast side dreaming big.
What Are Their Real Chances?
According to Opta, Bournemouth have a 1.10% chance of winning the Premier League title. Sure, that’s a slim probability, but it’s not zero.
For perspective, Leicester’s title chances in 2015/16 were around 0.02% at this stage of the season. So, technically, Bournemouth’s odds are 50 times better than Leicester’s were. Let that sink in.
They’ve already shown they can hang with bigger clubs, and if they keep this form going past the halfway mark, those 150/1 odds could start shrinking fast.
What’s Next for the Cherries?
Since returning to the Premier League in 2021/22 under Scott Parker, Bournemouth have never finished higher than ninth. But this version of the Cherries looks different, more ambitious, more cohesive, and more confident.
A top-half finish looks realistic. A European spot? Very possible. And if everything goes perfectly, with a sprinkle of luck and a dash of chaos… well, who’s to say a modern miracle can’t happen again?
The Premier League loves an underdog story. And Bournemouth’s 2025/26 campaign might just be the next one.
Final Thought:
It’s still early days, but the numbers don’t lie: Bournemouth are punching above their weight. Whether it ends in a fairytale or a solid top-eight finish, the Cherries have made the Premier League a little more exciting.
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