Preview: Arsenal vs Bournemouth – stats, team news, line-ups

Arsenal kick off the Premier League action this Saturday with a lunchtime showdown against Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium. 

The Gunners are looking to extend their lead at the top of the table to a healthy four points – at least temporarily. If you want to be part of the action, don’t forget to buy Arsenal tickets from Seatsnet.com for this crucial clash.

Mikel Arteta’s men emerged victorious from a thrilling North London derby last weekend, scraping past Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 and showing the mentality of champions.

After a dominant first-half display that saw them race into a 3-0 lead through goals from Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg own goal, Arsenal found themselves under siege. 

David Raya lost his bearing and gave the ball away to Cristian Romero, who gobbled up the chance to hand Spurs a lifeline.

Declan Rice then fouled Ben Davies in the dying minutes, allowing Son Heung-min to pull Spurs back into the contest from the spot, sending shivers down Arsenal’s spines. 

Thankfully, Son’s penalty was only a consolation, and the Gunners secured crucial three points. The victory helped Arsenal maintain their fragile one-point advantage over Manchester City at the league summit.

However, with Pep Guardiola’s men boasting a game in hand, the Gunners know even a perfect run-in might not be enough to end their two-decade-long PL title drought.

Liverpool are all but out of the race, and the Premier League title is morphing into a two-horse race between Arteta and his former club. 

City don’t play until Saturday evening, meaning another Arsenal win this weekend would put further distance between them and the treble winners.

The Emirates has been a fortress for Arsenal this year, with six victories from their seven Premier League home matches (L1). Their only blip came in April’s surprising 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa. 

Looking to build on last week’s win over Tottenham, there’s no better time for Arsenal to face Bournemouth, a team they comprehensively dispatched at the Emirates last year.

However, the Cherries are a different proposition under Andoni Iraola these days. They come into the game fresh off a convincing 3-0 win against Brighton & Hove Albion, and their recent form suggests they won’t be a pushover.

Bournemouth have secured safety and are graciously sat in mid-table (10th) after a season exceeding expectations. They can equal or surpass their best-ever finish in the PL (ninth in 2016/17).

They put away a hapless Brighton in their last game despite a quiet showing from talisman Dominic Solanke, who has netted 18 times in 35 league appearances.

Enes Unal took matters into his hands, bagging a goal and an assist as they made light work of Roberto De Zerbi’s struggling side. 

The emphatic win sealed their highest-ever Premier League points tally (48) with just three games remaining.

European qualification remains a mathematical possibility for Andoni Iraola’s men. They sit five and six points behind Newcastle United and Manchester United. 

However, Bournemouth’s remaining fixtures – a trip to Arsenal, followed by hosting Brentford and a visit to Chelsea – are massive hurdles to overcome.

Despite their impressive season, Bournemouth have a poor recent record against the Gunners. 

They were thrashed 4-0 at home in September and crumbled from a 2-0 lead last season, with Reiss Nelson’s dramatic 97th-minute winner becoming Emirates folklore.

Arsenal know anything other than three points against the tricky Cherries is unacceptable. This clash promises a fascinating spectacle.

Match preview

Arsenal head into the match boasting a formidable record against the Cherries. They’ve won seven of their last eight meetings, including the last four in a row.  

The Emirates has also been an impenetrable fortress for Bournemouth, with Arsenal winning all six of their home Premier League encounters – their best home record against any opponent besides Stoke City (10/10).

Arsenal are in great Premier League form with four wins from their last five games (L1). But their overall form is a mixed bag, with three wins from five games in all competitions (L2).

Arteta’s men are in scintillating attacking form, scoring at least three goals in their last three encounters with Bournemouth. 

Their finishing has been a hallmark of their season, exceeding expected goals by a significant margin (15.4) while boasting one of the league’s most potent attackers in Bukayo Saka (15 goals and nine assists). 

If Saka records another assist this season, he will join Dennis Bergkamp as the only players to achieve double figures in both goals and assists in consecutive Premier League campaigns.

Despite their recent defensive frailties (conceding four goals in their last four games), Arsenal’s attacking firepower is sizzling hot. Their average of 2.4 goals per game is their highest in a single season since their 1934/35 title-winning campaign.

Bournemouth are finding some momentum in the league with three wins in their last six games (L2, D1).

The Cherries are striving for their slice of history. Their victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton have them on the cusp of achieving three consecutive top-flight wins without conceding for the first time.

Since October, Bournemouth have amassed an impressive points tally (45) that only the current top four can better.

However, they will be wary against the North London juggernauts. The Cherries have only taken five points from 13 Premier League meetings with the Gunners (W1, D2, L10).

Bournemouth have failed to keep a single clean sheet in those games. The Cherries have only faced City more often in the PL without registering a single shut-out (14 games).

Team news

Jurrien Timber recently returned from his long-term injury and made two appearances for Arsenal Under-21s, marking his comeback with a terrific goal from left back for the youth side.

The Dutchman could earn a place on the bench or make a substitute appearance against Bournemouth. Apart from him, Arsenal have a clean bill of health all across the board. 

Over at Bournemouth, 27-year-old Ghanaian international Antoine Semenyo will undergo scans on his knee injury. 

Iraola wasn’t positive in his early assessment of the injury after the win over Brighton. Semenyo, who has eight goals and two assists in 30, will be a massive miss for the Cherries.

Illia Zabarnyi missed the Brighton match through illness but will likely return to the starting XI. Left-back Milos Kerkez is still suspended after his red card against Wolves. 

Tyler Adams is a long-term absentee, and Romain Faivre is not due back this weekend.

Arsenal potential starting line-up:

(4-3-3): David Raya; Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Takehiro Tomiyasu; Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard; Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz.

Bournemouth potential starting line-up:

(4-4-2): Mark Travers; Adam Smith, Marcos Senesi, Lloyd Kelly, Dango Ouattara; Ryan Christie, Alex Scott, Lewis Cook, Justin Kluivert; Enes Unal, Dominic Solanke.