Bournemouth boss Rose to continue cautious approach to Kroupi's injury return

Marco Rose revealed Junior Kroupi "still needs time to improve his fitness level", but will get more minutes in Bournemouth's Premier League trip to Ipswich Town on Sunday.

Kroupi missed the start of the season with a foot injury, making his return off the bench in the Cherries' 3-0 win over Manchester United on October 25.

He also featured as a substitute against Aston Villa in the EFL Cup and Leeds United in the league, recording an assist in the latter, but was rested versus Sparta Prague in the Europa League.

In his debut season for Bournemouth last term, Kroupi scored 13 goals in 35 appearances across all competitions.

He netted against Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United in 2025-26, seeing him become the first teenager to score against each of the teams finishing in the top three in a single Premier League campaign.

"He still needs time to improve his fitness level, but he understands, and he's working hard," Rose said about the 20-year-old.

"We need to avoid a re-injury, and we have to take care of him because he is a very important player for the club and the team.

"We're going to support him and even in Ipswich, he's going to get minutes for sure.

"He showed against Leeds how important he is and that he can make a difference. He felt better against Leeds than the games before.

"We improve step-by-step and after the international break, we hope to have him in a shape that he can start."

Ipswich have lost just once in their last four Premier League games (W1 D2), as they came from behind to draw with Hull City last time out.

While Ipswich boss Gary O'Neil is wary of Bournemouth, the former Cherries manager insisted full focus was on his own side.

"Bournemouth are obviously in a very good place at the moment," said O'Neil.

"The new coach has had an impact. Clean sheets not easy to come by, especially in the Premier League, and they've picked up a good few.

"But our focus is always on us. We will get to Portman Road and do everything we can to put in a strong performance and get three points."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ipswich Town – Julio Enciso

Julio Enciso has had four goal involvements following a ball carry in the Premier League this season (two goals, two assists), more than any other player.

Bournemouth – Evanilson

Evanilson has eight direct goal involvements in nine Premier League games this season (four goals, four assists), more than he got in 36 appearances last term (six goals, one assist).

He has scored in each of his last four Premier League appearances – no Bournemouth player has ever scored in five in a row in the competition before.

MATCH PREDICTION: BOURNEMOUTH WIN

Bournemouth have won their last three Premier League games, only once winning four in a row within the same season (December 2023).

They have kept a clean sheet in all three of these wins, last winning four consecutive league games without conceding in the same campaign in October 2021 in the Championship.

The Cherries have not lost any of their four league visits to Portman Road against Ipswich (W1 D3), since a 3-1 defeat in March 1989 under Harry Redknapp.

Ipswich won their last league game against Bournemouth but have not won consecutive games against the Cherries since a run of four between January 1953 and October 1955.

The Tractor Boys have taken seven points from their four Premier League home games this season (W2 D1 L1), as many as they did at Portman Road in the whole of 2024-25 (W1 D4 L14).

Bournemouth are winless in their last six Premier League games against promoted sides. However, five of these have ended level (L1), including each of the last four in a row.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Ipswich Town – 32.1%

Draw – 25.3%

Bournemouth – 42.6%