Fresh from booking their spots in the fourth round of the EFL Carabao Cup, both Bournemouth and Arsenal return to Premier League action with a match up at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
The Cherries put two unanswered goals past Stoke City on Wednesday night, while Mikel Arteta’s men held out for a nervy 1-0 triumph over fellow Londoners Brentford.
Arsenal make the trip to Bournemouth with a string of injuries to their first-team players and although they have a big squad to cover for them, their output could vary in quality and efficiency.
When asked if the injuries will impact his thinking for the big match against table leaders Manchester City next week, Arteta said, “It’s about now. It’s about Bournemouth, and this is the most important game that we have now in the season. That’s it.”
Arsenal are unbeaten in six Premier League matches (W4 D2). They visit a Bournemouth side that don’t have a Premier League win in the bag this season (D3 L3).
The last time these two teams met was in March. Arsenal had to dig deep to get the winning goal, with Reiss Nelson’s immaculate strike giving Arsenal all three points at the Emirates Stadium in the 97th minute. That goal later won the Premier League game-changer goal of the season.
Bournemouth’s biggest challenge is their attack. They have scored just five goals in the opening six Premier League matches, with only one goal at home. They face an Arsenal defence that has conceded just six, the third meanest defence in the league at this stage of the campaign.
Andoni Iraola’s men have to do so much better both defensively and attack-wise if they want to get anything from this match.
This is a huge ask for Bournemouth, as they have only won once in the previous 12 encounters with the Gunners (D2, L9). Arsenal have scored in each of those 12 encounters, a total of 29 goals. A loss for Bournemouth could see them drop into the relegation zone.
Team news
Chris Mepham, Lloyd Kelly, Alex Scott and Emiliano Marcondes are still absent for Bournemouth but summer signing Tyler Adams is fit again and might make his league debut.
For Arsenal, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba and Fabio Vieira are all injury doubts as the side remains without Thomas Partey and long-term absentee Jurrien Timber.
