After a magnificent end to last year, Bournemouth will be hoping to pick up where they left off when they host Norwich City in their first Championship outing of 2015 on Saturday.

The Cherries begin the year top of the table, but could well find themselves knocked off their current perch by the time they kick off this weekend.

However, with second-placed Ipswich Town playing third-placed Derby County in the early game, Eddie Howe will know that his side have the chance to move further clear of at least one of the immediate chasing pack with victory.

Recent form certainly suggests that they are capable of picking up maximum points having won their last four games in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

They produced a rousing second-half performance to book their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup last weekend, coming from behind to thrash Rotherham United 5-1 at New York Stadium.

That made it 15 goals scored in their last four games, and it is no surprise that their tally of 54 for the season is comfortably the highest in the division.

It is now 14 games and more than three months since they last lost a league match, while they went through December without dropping a single point, picking up 15 from a possible 15.

Howe is expected to welcome most of his league regulars back despite such a resounding Cup victory, although Yann Kermorgant's brace may have earned him a starting role.

This will be Norwich's first away meeting with Bournemouth since a goalless draw back in 1960, and they will make the trip still without a permanent manager.

A 2-0 defeat at the hands of League One outfit Preston North End proved to be the final match for Neil Adams, who resigned from his post two days later.

Hamilton Academical boss Alex Neil appears to be bound for Carrow Road, although it is unlikely that he will be appointed in time to take charge of the team this weekend.

Whether he or caretaker manager Mike Phelan is in charge at Dean Court, they will be looking to prevent a third consecutive defeat having ended 2014 by losing to Reading.

That result leaves them seventh in the table and three points off the playoff places, although their superior goal difference means that defeat for Brentford against Rotherham would give the Canaries the chance to climb back into the top six.

Striker Lewis Grabban could again miss out for Norwich despite scoring against his former club in the reverse fixture, with Cameron Jerome likely to lead the line.

Bournemouth:

Form in Championship: DWWWWW
Form in all competitions: WLWWWW

Possible starting lineup: Boruc; Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels; Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Pugh; Pitman Wilson

Norwich:

Form in Championship: LWWDWL
Form in all competitions: WWDWLL

Possible starting lineup: Ruddy; Martin, Whittaker, Cuellar, Olsson; Johnson, Howson, Redmond, Hooper, Hoolahan; Jerome

Sports Mole says: 3-2

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