Bournemouth vs Arsenal kicks off at 17:30 [GMT +1] on Saturday, October 19, at the Vitality Stadium.
The Cherries will reconvene in front of their home crowd, hoping to bounce back from match-week seven’s disappointment, having suffered a 1-0 loss to newly-promoted Leicester City just before the international break, while title contenders Arsenal secured a 3-1 comeback win over Southampton last time out.
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BOURNEMOUTH VS ARSENAL: MATCH PREVIEW
A Facundo Buonanotte strike [16′] shortly after the quarter-hour mark was all it took to hand Bournemouth a third defeat of the EPL.
With eight points after 2 wins, three draws, and three losses, Andoni Iraola’s side find themselves in 13th place, two points off the top half of the table.
“‘We played quite a level first half. In the second half, we were pushing them a lot, putting pressure on them. Iraola said after the loss, as quoted by BBC.
”We had a lot of crosses, but their keeper made some very good saves. We have to be more ruthless,” he added, match-week eight’s league encounter against Arsenal presenting an opportunity for rectification.
While the Cherries will look to improve on being clinical this Saturday, a worry record also awaits rectification.
Bournemouth have lost 11 of their 14 EPL games against Arsenal and will look to reverse their fortunes this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Gunners will look to pick up from where they left off before the international break, recording consecutive league wins against newly promoted sides Leicester and Southampton, leaving them in third place, one point behind table-topping Liverpool.
Bukayo Saka helped the Gunners to a comeback win against the Saints, providing two assists before adding his name on the score sheet.
”That’s the maturity and the steps that players have to do,” Mikel Arteta said, heaping praise on the 23-year-old winger. ”He’s been long enough in the team now; he’s earned the right to have that role; he believes in that, he added.
Arsenal’s 3-1 win against Southampton was their 1999th topflight win. Victory against Bournemouth this weekend will see them become the second team to reach 2000, only behind Liverpool (2065).
Mikel Arteta’s men are unbeaten in all of their 10 games this season, winning seven and drawing three—the last had a longer unbeaten streak from the start of a campaign in 2007-2008 (21).
BOURNEMOUTH VS ARSENAL: TEAM FORM (last six games)
Note: Last game comes first
Bournemouth league form:
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Bournemouth overall form:
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Arsenal League form:
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Arsenal overall form:
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BOURNEMOUTH VS ARSENAL: TEAM NEWS
Arsenal’s injury woes continue, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli sustaining injuries while playing for their respective national teams. However, Saka is reportedly optimistic about his chances of being fit for the weekend.
Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ben White, and Jurrien Timber are all out due to injuries.
Additionally, second-choice goalkeeper Neto cannot face his parent club, and Tommy Setford’s injury means 16-year-old Jack Porter could be David Raya’s backup.
While the visitors are left to deal with a long injury list, Bournemouth could come into the weekend with no record of injuries, with Tyler Adams likely to return back to action against the Gunners.
With most of his squad fit to play, Iraola might rethink his starting lineup following the recent defeat at Leicester. A change in the attacking formation is a possibility, particularly given Justin Kluivert’s early substitution.
BOURNEMOUTH VS ARSENAL: POSSIBLE LINE UP
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Kepa; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Semenyo, Tavernier, Sinisterra; Evanilson
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Havertz, Partey, Rice; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
BOURNEMOUTH VS ARSENAL: MATCH PREDICTION – Bournemouth 0-2 Arsenal
While Bournemouth might prove to be a hard nut to crack, the visitors boast the best defense on the road in recent times.
Considering Arsenal’s recent form and dominance in this fixture, a win favour of the Gunners is the most likely outcome.
